Bill Text: HI SB619 | 2010 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Voting Rights, Incarcerated Persons

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2009-05-11 - Carried over to 2010 Regular Session. [SB619 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-SB619-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO. 275

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 619

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 619 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VOTING,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to allow an incarcerated person, who was a Hawaii resident at the time of the person's arrest, to vote by absentee ballot in Hawaii elections.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by five private organizations and ten individuals.  Testimony in opposition of this measure was submitted by two state agencies.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature’s website.

 

     Your Committee finds that allowing an incarcerated person, who was a Hawaii resident at the time of the person's arrest, to vote by absentee ballot in Hawaii elections facilitates the person's awareness and knowledge of the social policies that are important to the residents of Hawaii.  This will help the person achieve a more successful reentry and be a participating member of the community upon release.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by clarifying that the incarcerated person shall only be permitted to vote in Hawaii's elections by absentee ballot.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 619, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 619, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Government Operations.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs,

 

		____________________________ WILL ESPERO, Chair