HB 322 Hawaii House · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO VOTER REGISTRATION.

Summary

Authorizes state agencies to implement automatic voter registration if designated by the Office of Elections. Requires eligible applicants for instruction permits, provisional licenses, driver's licenses, and identification cards to be automatically registered or preregistered to vote unless the applicant opts out. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 16, 2025 Last action Feb 14, 2025

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What changed between versions

HB322 → HB322_HD1 · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill expands automatic voter registration in Hawaii by requiring state agencies that issue driver's licenses, instruction permits, and identification cards to automatically register eligible citizens to vote when they apply for these documents. The change shifts from an opt-in system where individuals must actively choose to register to an opt-out system where registration happens automatically unless the applicant explicitly declines. This aims to increase voter participation by making registration more convenient and removing barriers for new voters.

Scope change

The bill expands automatic voter registration requirements to include all state agencies that issue driver's licenses, instruction permits, provisional licenses, and identification cards, not just those previously designated for automatic voter registration.

REQUIREMENT

Added automatic voter registration requirements for driver's license renewals, instruction permits, provisional licenses, and identification cards applications.

Added new data fields to driver's license applications including citizenship status, county of residence, and electronic mail address for voter registration purposes.

Added requirement that driver's license renewal applications serve as voter registration applications for eligible applicants.

Added provision that applicants who decline automatic voter registration can be offered a new opportunity to register with each subsequent qualifying application.

ELIGIBILITY

Changed voter registration from opt-in to opt-out system where eligible citizens are automatically registered unless they explicitly decline.

TIMELINE

Extended automatic voter registration to include duplicate license applications and identification card applications in addition to new and renewal applications.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 14, 2025

Committee

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with Representative(s) Reyes Oda, Shimizu voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Pierick voting no (5) and Representative(s) Cochran, Matayoshi, Poepoe, Ward excused (4).

lower

Feb 14, 2025

Committee

Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 746), recommending referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 13, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Perruso, Takayama, Todd, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Garcia; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran.

lower

Feb 4, 2025

Committee

Reported from HSH (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 63) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

lower

Jan 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on HSH recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Marten, Olds, Amato, Chun, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Takayama, Takenouchi; Ayes with reservations: none; 2 Noes: Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia; and Excused: none.

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to HSH, JHA, FIN, referral sheet 1

lower

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 16, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

10 primary · 0 co-sponsors