STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3344

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  H.B. No. 1763
                                        H.D. 2
                                        S.D. 2




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No.
1763, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BICYCLES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill, as received by your Committee, is
to require any person under the age of 18 years old to wear a
bicycle helmet when operating a bicycle.

     Your Committee finds that moped riders are not presently
required to wear helmets.  Your Committee further finds that
minors without helmets are likely to be injured on a moped or a
motorized scooter in the same way as on a bicycle.  Your
Committee believes that helmet requirements for bicycles should
not be stricter than those for mopeds.  Accordingly, your
Committee believes the appropriate age level for this restriction
should be set below the minimum driving age.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the
Department of Health, the Department of Transportation, the
Disability and Communication Access Board, the Honolulu Police
Department, the Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition, the Hawaii
Bicycling League, the People's Advocacy for Trails Hawaii, and
four individuals.

     Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this
measure by:

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3344
                                   Page 2



     (1)  Changing the age at which the restriction applies to
          twelve and under;

     (2)  Deleting a provision calling for joint and several
          liability between a minor and the minor's parent; 

     (3)  Rephrasing the violation as a violation by the parent
          or guardian of the child, rather than the child;

     (4)  Deleting the incorporation by reference of equipment
          safety standards;

     (5)  Changing the effective date to June 31, 20001; and

     (6)  Making technical, non-substantive changes for the
          purposes of clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No.
1763, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it
pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1763,
H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   AVERY B. CHUMBLEY, Co-Chair



                                   ______________________________
                                   MATTHEW M. MATSUNAGA, Co-Chair

 
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