Bill Text: HI SB550 | 2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating To Voting.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2021-03-19 - Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with Representative(s) Okimoto voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) McDermott voting no (1) and Representative(s) Todd excused (1). [SB550 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2021-SB550-Introduced.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
550 |
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THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to voting.
BE IT
ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the age qualification to vote in any federal, state, or local election is eighteen years of age. However, there are individuals whose dates of birth fall between the primary and general elections and therefore, due to current age restrictions, are unable to participate in state and local primary elections, which determine the ballot for the general elections in which they will later be eligible to vote. Granting voting rights to these individuals to participate in the voting process for state and local elections may improve voter turnout among youths and better educate youths about the democratic process.
The purpose of this Act is to allow
an individual who is seventeen years of age but will be eighteen years of age
on or before the next state or local general election to register and vote at the
state or local primary election immediately preceding that state or local
general election.
SECTION 2. Section 11-11, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§11-11 Registration. A person who registers as required by law shall be entitled to vote at any federal election provided that the person shall have attained the age of eighteen at the time of that election. A person who registers as required by law shall be entitled to vote at any state or local election if the person will attain the age of eighteen by the date of that election; provided that a person who is seventeen years of age but will attain the age of eighteen by the date of the next state or local general election shall be entitled to vote beginning with the state or local primary election immediately preceding the state or local general election by which the person will attain the age of eighteen years. The county clerk shall be responsible for voter registration in the respective counties and the keeping of the general register and precinct lists within the county."
SECTION 3. Section 11-12, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§11-12 Age; place of registering. (a) Every person who has reached the age of eighteen years or who is seventeen years of age and will be eighteen years of age by the date of the next federal election, and is otherwise qualified to register may do so for that election. Every person who has reached the age of eighteen years or who is seventeen years of age but will be eighteen years of age by the date of the next state or local election, and is otherwise qualified to register may do so for that election and the state or local primary election immediately preceding that election. The person shall then be listed upon the appropriate county general register and precinct list. No person shall register or vote in any other precinct than that in which the person resides except as provided in section 11-21.
(b)
A person who is otherwise qualified to register and is at least sixteen
years of age but will not be eighteen years of age by the date of the next
election may preregister upon satisfactory proof of age and shall be
automatically registered upon reaching age eighteen[.] for federal
elections or age seventeen for certain state or local primary elections in
accordance with subsection (a)."
SECTION 4. Section 11-14.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§11-14.5 Residence address; confidentiality. (a) If a life threatening circumstance exists to:
(1) A law enforcement person;
(2) The law enforcement person's family; or
(3) Persons otherwise determined by the clerk of the county in which the person is registered,
that person may apply to the county clerk in writing to keep confidential the information relating to the residence address and telephone number contained in the affidavit of registration of that person, or any list or register prepared therefrom.
(b) If the disclosure of the residence address or telephone number of a person would result in an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy or expose the person or a member of the person's family to risk of bodily harm, the person may apply to the chief election officer or county clerk to keep confidential the person's residence address and telephone number contained in the person's affidavit of registration, or any list or register prepared therefrom.
(c) In accordance with procedures and rules
adopted by the chief election officer or county clerk to protect personal
privacy, the chief election officer or county clerk shall not disclose the
residence address or telephone number of a person who is under the age of
eighteen and is registered to vote at any federal, state, or local election.
[(c)] (d) Upon good cause shown, the clerk shall determine
whether to grant confidentiality in accordance with rules established by the
chief election officer, and that decision shall be final.
[(d)] (e) If the voter registration of a person covered
by this section is challenged, the clerk shall release the residence address of
that person to the challenger pursuant to rules established by the chief election
officer. If an appeal is taken relating
to the challenge, the residence address shall also be released to the
appropriate appellate body."
SECTION 5. Section 11-15.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"[[]§11-15.5[]]
Duties of all state agencies; voter registration. Each state agency that deals with the public
shall make available to each member of the public who:
(1) Will be at least
eighteen years of age [or older] by the date of the next federal election;
or
(2) Is seventeen years of age but will be eighteen years of age by the date of the next state or local general election,
an application in the form of an affidavit for voter registration pursuant to section 11-15. The application shall be available by mail or in person depending on the manner in which the agency's services are requested by the person. The form of the application may be identical to that described and found in public telephone directories."
SECTION 6. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect upon ratification of a constitutional amendment allowing individuals who are seventeen years of age but will be eighteen years of age on or before the date of the next state or local general election to register and vote in the state or local primary election immediately preceding that state or local general election.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
State and Local Elections; Voter Registration; Voter Age
Description:
Allows an individual who is seventeen years of age but will be eighteen years of age on or before the next state or local general election to register and vote at the state or local primary election immediately preceding that state or local general election. Takes effect upon ratification of an appropriate constitutional amendment.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
