STAND. COM. REP. NO. 268

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 2316
                                        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. 2316 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DRIVER'S LICENSES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of the measure is to permit the use of a foreign
language exam by the examiner of drivers, if the applicant is
able to read and understand simple English used in highway
traffic and directional signs.

     Testimony was received in support of the measure from the
Department of Transportation. 

     Your Committee finds that many people who speak English as a
second language, or speak very little English at all, have
difficulty passing a written examination for a driver's license.
Your Committee was informed that approximately 500 people failed
the exam last year because of this.  Your Committee also is aware
that the counties in the past have provided interpreters for the
written examination, but no longer do so.

     Your Committee has amended the measure by changing the
effective date to January 1, 2002, to allow sufficient time for
implementation.  

     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

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2678
                                   Page 2


intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2316, as amended herein, and
recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached
hereto as S.B. No. 2316, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar
for Third Reading.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   CAL KAWAMOTO, Chair

 
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