STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2324

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 2311
                                        S.D. 1




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

Sir:

     Your Committee on Transportation and Intergovernmental
Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2311 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MANDATORY USE OF SEATBELTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to require minors to wear
seatbelts in the backseat of a vehicle.

     Testimony in support of this measure was received from the
Department of Health, Department of Transportation, Honolulu
Police Department, Hawaii Nurses Association, Keiki Injury
Prevention Coalition (KIPC), Hawaii Insurers Council, MADD, and
an individual.
  
     Your Committee received moving testimony from the father of
Tanya Shirai, who was killed in an automobile accident while not
wearing a seatbelt in August of 1997.  She was seventeen years
old and attended St. Andrew's Priory.  She and her friends were
on their way to a Cecilio and Kapono concert.  Two boys in the
front seat were wearing seatbelts, while Tanya and her friend
were in the backseat without seatbelts.  The vehicle rolled, and
Tanya and her friend were ejected.  The boys received minor
injuries, and Tanya's friend survived, but with permanent and
severe injuries.  Tanya died from multiple head and body
injuries.


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2324
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     Upon consideration of all pertinent issues and testimony
presented, your Committee finds that this measure is necessary to
help prevent injuries and keep Hawaii's citizens safe.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by naming the Act
the "Tanya Act," in memory of Tanya Shirai, and requiring all
passengers in a motor vehicle to wear a seat belt assembly.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Transportation and Intergovernmental Affairs that is
attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the
intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2311, as amended herein, and
recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached
hereto as S.B. No. 2311, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee
on Judiciary.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Transportation
                                   and Intergovernmental Affairs,



                                   ______________________________
                                   CAL KAWAMOTO, Chair

 
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