Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

Hawaii Senate Bill SB78 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	THE SENATE S.B. NO. 78 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to voter registration. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
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3	3	THE SENATE S.B. NO. 78
4	4	THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
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7	7	THE SENATE
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9	9	S.B. NO.
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11	11	78
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13	13	THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
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17	17	STATE OF HAWAII
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31	31	A BILL FOR AN ACT
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37	37	relating to voter registration.
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43	43	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
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47	47	SECTION 1. Section 11-15.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows: "[[]§11-15.5[]] Duties of all state agencies; voter registration. (a) Each state agency that deals with the public shall make available to each member of the public eighteen years of age or older 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. (b) Each state agency that deals with the public and collects or cross-references reliable personal information indicating citizenship status shall provide that an application for a license, permit, program, or service shall serve as a dual-purpose application. The dual-purpose application shall: (1) Serve as an application for voter registration; (2) Allow an applicant to change the applicant's registered residence address or name as it appears on the voter registration rolls; and (3) Provide the applicant with an opportunity to affirmatively decline to register to vote or change the applicant's registered residence address or name by providing a check box on the application form without requiring the applicant to state the reason. Dual-purpose applications shall not be processed until the applicant completes the portion of the application related to voter registration and indicates the applicant's choice of whether to register to vote. The submission of the dual-purpose application shall be deemed to authorize the director of the respective state agency to collect and transmit the information necessary to register the applicant as a voter if the applicant made the choice to register or to make changes to the applicant's voter registration information unless the applicant declined the changes. The director of the respective state agency shall electronically transmit the necessary information to the clerk of the county in which the applicant resides, election officials, and the online voter registration system pursuant to subsection (d). The director of the respective state agency shall not transmit any information necessary to register an applicant as a voter if the applicant made a choice not to be registered to vote nor transmit any information necessary to make changes to the applicant's voter registration information if the applicant declined any changes. The director of the respective state agency shall not transmit any information related to a voter application or changes to the applicant's voter registration information if the applicant presents a document demonstrating a lack of United States citizenship. (c) Upon receipt of the completed dual-purpose application transmitted from the director of the respective state agency, the clerk shall review and either approve or reject the voter registration application in accordance with this part; provided that approved voter registration applications received from the director of the respective state agency pursuant to this section shall be treated as having a valid signature for purposes of section 11‑15(c), whether transmitted electronically or by facsimile transmission. Upon the clerk's approval of the voter registration application or any changes to the voter registration information, the clerk shall proceed to number the application and register the name of the voter in the general county register as provided in section 11‑14 or make approved changes to the voter's existing voter registration information as applicable. (d) Databases maintained or operated by each state agency offering dual-purpose applications containing dual-purpose application information, including any documents or images, shall be accessible and provided electronically to election officials and the online voter registration system to allow for the timely processing of voter applications, ensure the integrity of the voter registration polls, and for any other voter registration or election purposes, as determined by the director of the respective state agency offering dual-purpose applications. (e) For the purposes of this section: "Dual-purpose application" means an application, an application for renewal, a change of address form, or a recertification form for a license, permit, program, or service offered by a state agency that also serves as an application to register to vote in the State. "Reliable personal information" means information about individuals obtained from government sources that may be used to verify whether an individual is eligible to register to vote." SECTION 2. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored. SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval. INTRODUCED BY: _____________________________
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49	49	SECTION 1. Section 11-15.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
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51	51	"[[]§11-15.5[]] Duties of all state agencies; voter registration. (a) Each state agency that deals with the public shall make available to each member of the public eighteen years of age or older 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.
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53	53	(b) Each state agency that deals with the public and collects or cross-references reliable personal information indicating citizenship status shall provide that an application for a license, permit, program, or service shall serve as a dual-purpose application. The dual-purpose application shall:
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55	55	(1) Serve as an application for voter registration;
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57	57	(2) Allow an applicant to change the applicant's registered residence address or name as it appears on the voter registration rolls; and
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59	59	(3) Provide the applicant with an opportunity to affirmatively decline to register to vote or change the applicant's registered residence address or name by providing a check box on the application form without requiring the applicant to state the reason.
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61	61	Dual-purpose applications shall not be processed until the applicant completes the portion of the application related to voter registration and indicates the applicant's choice of whether to register to vote.
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63	63	The submission of the dual-purpose application shall be deemed to authorize the director of the respective state agency to collect and transmit the information necessary to register the applicant as a voter if the applicant made the choice to register or to make changes to the applicant's voter registration information unless the applicant declined the changes. The director of the respective state agency shall electronically transmit the necessary information to the clerk of the county in which the applicant resides, election officials, and the online voter registration system pursuant to subsection (d).
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65	65	The director of the respective state agency shall not transmit any information necessary to register an applicant as a voter if the applicant made a choice not to be registered to vote nor transmit any information necessary to make changes to the applicant's voter registration information if the applicant declined any changes. The director of the respective state agency shall not transmit any information related to a voter application or changes to the applicant's voter registration information if the applicant presents a document demonstrating a lack of United States citizenship.
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67	67	(c) Upon receipt of the completed dual-purpose application transmitted from the director of the respective state agency, the clerk shall review and either approve or reject the voter registration application in accordance with this part; provided that approved voter registration applications received from the director of the respective state agency pursuant to this section shall be treated as having a valid signature for purposes of section 11‑15(c), whether transmitted electronically or by facsimile transmission. Upon the clerk's approval of the voter registration application or any changes to the voter registration information, the clerk shall proceed to number the application and register the name of the voter in the general county register as provided in section 11‑14 or make approved changes to the voter's existing voter registration information as applicable.
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69	69	(d) Databases maintained or operated by each state agency offering dual-purpose applications containing dual-purpose application information, including any documents or images, shall be accessible and provided electronically to election officials and the online voter registration system to allow for the timely processing of voter applications, ensure the integrity of the voter registration polls, and for any other voter registration or election purposes, as determined by the director of the respective state agency offering dual-purpose applications.
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71	71	(e) For the purposes of this section:
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73	73	"Dual-purpose application" means an application, an application for renewal, a change of address form, or a recertification form for a license, permit, program, or service offered by a state agency that also serves as an application to register to vote in the State.
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75	75	"Reliable personal information" means information about individuals obtained from government sources that may be used to verify whether an individual is eligible to register to vote."
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77	77	SECTION 2. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
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79	79	SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
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83	83	INTRODUCED BY: _____________________________
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85	85	INTRODUCED BY:
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93	93	Report Title: Automatic Voter Registration; State Agencies; Dual-Purpose Applications Description: Makes an application for voter registration part of certain state agency application processes. Requires the sharing of certain information among certain state agencies, election personnel, and online voter registration system. The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
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101	101	Report Title:
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103	103	Automatic Voter Registration; State Agencies; Dual-Purpose Applications
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107	107	Description:
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109	109	Makes an application for voter registration part of certain state agency application processes. Requires the sharing of certain information among certain state agencies, election personnel, and online voter registration system.
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117	117	The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.