House Committee on Finance (FIN) - chair: Oshiro, vice chair: Lee

Friday, February 27, 2009, 3:00 P.M. Conference Room 308

Testifier: Jean Aoki, LWV of Hawaii Legislative Liaison

Click here to view HB623 HD1

Chair Oshiro, Vice Chair Lee, members of the Committee on Finance, The League of Women Voters of Hawaii supports HB 623 which would make it much easier for people without drivers' licenses or other means of picture identifications to acquire them. Picture Ids are essential in today's world for all kinds of transactions and entries to services ---getting a check cashed, paying for purchases with a check or even a credit card, for voting, riding a commercial plane, etc. Thousands, maybe millions nation-wide are disenfranchised when it comes to voting for the lack of ID cards. Anything we can do to facilitate the process of acquiring a picture ID will help more citizens enjoy all the privileges of citizenship or residency in our state. The driver's license as ID is increasingly not available to many aging seniors and to the thousands of immigrants and the poor for whom owning a car and/or driving are not viable options. Satellite city halls are especially suited for servicing picture Ids. They have all the equipment needed in producing driver's licenses. We ask that the fee attached for this service be kept reasonable so as not to become a barrier to acquiring the much-needed picture ID. Thank you for allowing us to testify on HB 623