Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 1741 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to prohibit the use of a mobile telephone while operating a moving school vehicle except in the case of an emergency.

Testimony supporting the intent of this measure was submitted by the Department of Transportation (DOT). The Department of Education (DOE) commented on this mesure.

Although all drivers, especially those driving vehicles with school children, should be concentrating on their driving, the DOE has received several complaints regarding the use of cellular phones on school buses during their operation. Driving a school vehicle with students aboard is difficult enough without the distraction of talking on a mobile phone. Your Committee feels that through the passage of this measure, the safety of children aboard school vehicles will be enhanced.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1741 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Education.