85
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES             H.C.R. NO.            
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                     HOUSE CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION
REQUESTING A STUDY ON THE BEST WAY TO IMPLEMENT A TRAFFIC LAW AND
   SUBSTANCE ABUSE EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR NEW DRIVER'S LICENSE
   APPLICANTS.



 1       WHEREAS, the United States Surgeon General reports that
 2   life expectancy has improved in the United States over the past
 3   75 years for every age group except one: the death rate for 15-
 4   to 24-year-olds is higher today than it was 20 years ago; and
 5   
 6       WHEREAS, the leading cause of death in the 15- to 24-year-
 7   old age group is drunk and drugged driving; and
 8   
 9       WHEREAS, in 1998, there were 120 traffic fatalities in the
10   State, and 56 of these fatalities were alcohol related; and
11   
12       WHEREAS, in 1999, the Honolulu Police Department arrested
13   101 people under the age of 21 for driving under the influence
14   in spite of laws prohibiting the sale of alcohol to those under
15   the age of 21; and
16   
17       WHEREAS, the Legislature has enacted laws that enforce a
18   "zero tolerance" policy for underage drinkers that prohibits
19   anyone under the age of 21 with a measurable amount of alcohol
20   in their system from operating a motor vehicle on public roads;
21   and
22   
23       WHEREAS, while stiff penalties for those who are caught
24   driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol do serve
25   as a deterrent, penalties alone are not sufficient to prevent
26   Hawaii's drivers from driving while under the influence; and
27   
28       WHEREAS, requiring new license applicants to participate in
29   drug and alcohol education programs as a condition to obtain
30   their driver's license will help Hawaii's drivers make better
31   decisions concerning the use of alcohol and drugs while driving
32   and will save lives and make our roads safer for everyone; now,
33   therefore,

 
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                                  H.C.R. NO.            
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1       BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the
 2   Twentieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session
 3   of 2000, the Senate concurring, that the Legislative Reference
 4   Bureau (LRB) is requested to conduct a study on the best way to
 5   implement a traffic law and substance abuse education program
 6   for new driver's license applicants; and
 7   
 8       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the LRB submit a report of the
 9   findings and recommendations, including any proposed
10   legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days
11   before the convening of the Regular Session of 2001; and
12   
13       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
14   Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of
15   Transportation, the Superintendent of Education, and the Acting
16   Director of the LRB.
17 
18 
19 
20                         OFFERED BY:______________________________