STAND. COM. REP. NO. 489-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 1757
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which
was referred H.B. No. 1757 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HIGHWAY SAFETY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to:

     (1)  Remove trailer exemptions from the prohibitions
          relating to possession or consumption of intoxicating
          liquors in motor vehicles; and

     (2)  Prohibit drivers from consuming intoxicating liquors
          even if not operating the vehicle at the time.

     The Department of Transportation, the Honolulu Police
Department and Mothers Against Drunk Drivers testified in support
of the measure.  The Office of the Public Defender testified
against the measure in part.

     Your Committee finds that:

     (1)  Removing trailer exemptions will bring Hawaii back into
          compliance with federal requirements for open container
          laws in order to maintain federal highway construction
          funds; and


 
 
 
 
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     (2)  The prohibition against consuming intoxicating liquors
          even if not operating the vehicle is presently covered
          by Section 291-3.3 (Storage of opened container
          containing intoxicating liquor or consumption at scenic
          lookout), Hawaii Revised Statutes.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by deleting a
prohibition that is already expressed in another section of the
statutes. 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to
this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and
purpose of H.B. No. 1757, as amended herein, and recommends that
it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No.
1757, H.D. 1.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Judiciary &
                                   Hawaiian Affairs,



                                   ______________________________
                                   ERIC G. HAMAKAWA, Chair