05/02/2023 03:30 PM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

        SB  61-US PRESIDENT ELECT. POPULAR VOTE COMPACT                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:45:54 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  KAWASAKI   reconvened  the   meeting  and   announced  the                                                               
consideration  of SENATE  BILL  NO.  61 "An  Act  relating to  an                                                               
interstate compact  to elect the President  and Vice-President of                                                               
the United States  by national popular vote; and  relating to the                                                               
selection  of electors  for candidates  for  President and  Vice-                                                               
President  of  the United  States  and  to  the duties  of  those                                                               
electors."                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
He noted that this was the second hearing.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:46:35 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI opened public testimony on SB 61.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:46:59 PM                                                                                                                    
SANTA CLAUS, representing self,  North Pole, Alaska, testified in                                                               
support of  SB 61. He stated  that he was endorsing  the National                                                               
Popular  Vote Interstate  Compact  that  preserves the  Electoral                                                               
College  and state  control  of elections.  It  ensures that  the                                                               
presidential  candidate who  receives the  most popular  votes in                                                               
all 50 states and the District  of Columbia wins the election. He                                                               
emphasized that  Electoral College  electors should  not continue                                                               
to  be  able to  override  the  popular  vote  as they  did  most                                                               
recently in  2000 and 2016. The  winner takes all policy  is only                                                               
statewide and is not prescribed  in the US Constitution. He asked                                                               
the committee to support SB 61.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:48:38 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI closed public testimony on SB 61.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:48:48 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI  moved to  report SB  61, work  order 33-LS0288\B,                                                               
from  committee  with  individual  recommendations  and  attached                                                               
fiscal note(s).                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:49:03 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR MERRICK and SENATOR BJORKMAN objected.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KAWASAKI asked for a roll call.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:49:12 PM                                                                                                                    
A roll  call vote was  taken. Senators Claman,  Wielechowski, and                                                               
Kawasaki  voted in  favor  of the  motion to  report  SB 61  from                                                               
committee  and Senators  Merrick and  Bjorkman voted  against it.                                                               
The vote was 3:2.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:49:30 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI announced that on a vote  of 3 yeas and 2 nays, SB
  was   reported  from  the   Senate  State   Affairs  Standing                                                               
Committee.