Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 787 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to appropriate funds to the Disability and Communication Access Board to be distributed equitably to the counties' volunteer disabled parking enforcement program to assist in paying for the costs of these programs.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Disability and Communications Access Board, the Honolulu Police Department, and the County of Hawaii.

Your Committee realizes that current laws regarding parking for the disabled are often violated by persons who are not disabled. Moreover, enforcement of these laws has been difficult. In an attempt to alleviate this problem, a volunteer parking enforcement program was initiated. The program has generated over $1 million dollars in fines being collected and has proven to be a deterrent to violators.

Realizing that this program is worthwhile, your Committee has decided to pass this measure unamended to the Committee on Finance. However, your Committee would like to suggest to the Committee on Finance that consideration be given to the establishment of a special fund utilizing a percentage of the collections of uncontested fees for disabled parking violations to continue and enhance this program.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 787 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.