STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1246

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: S.B. No. 709
                                     S.D. 1
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred S.B.
No. 709, S.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to further improve traffic
enforcement by enhancing the operations of the demonstration
projects established to apprehend drivers who run red lights or
exceed posted speed limits.

     Your Committee finds that the 1998 Legislature approved
funding for demonstration projects, using photo speed imaging
detector and red light imaging detector systems, to increase
detections of and punishments for traffic violations and that
other photo technologies are now available to produce
photographic identification of vehicles violating traffic laws.
Your Committee further finds that the delivery of traffic
violation tickets to stopped vehicles by police officers is
hazardous and increases, rather than decreases, traffic
congestion.

     This bill proposes to amend the photo red light imaging and
photo speed imaging detector demonstration project by including
other photo technology systems to improve traffic enforcement and
reduce traffic congestion by producing photographic
identification of a vehicle which crosses longitudinal traffic
lane markings.  The bill also contains procedures that allow for

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1246
                                 Page 2

 
the citation or summons to be issued to a person who unlawfully
crossed longitudinal traffic lane markings but is not the
registered owner of the vehicle.

     Testimonies in support of this bill were received from the
Honolulu Police Department and two private citizens.  The
Department of Transportation supported the intent of this bill.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  amending line 14 on page 16 as a means of promoting the
          flow of traffic;

     (2)  inserting language that will discourage registered
          owners from falsely claiming that another person
          operated their vehicle at the time of a violation; and

     (3)  clarifying the definition of U-drive vehicle in
          relation to this bill.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No.
709, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass
Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 709, S.D.
1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Transportation,



                                   ______________________________
                                   KENNETH T. HIRAKI, Chair