Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs and Government Operations, to which was referred H.B. No. 2509, H.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a separate offense for parking in or otherwise using the access aisle adjacent to a parking space reserved for a person with a disability.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Honolulu City and County Police Department, the Disability and Communications Access Board, and the Hawaii Disability Rights Center.

During the 2001 regular session, legislation was enacted providing for increased penalties for persons who violate the law regarding parking for persons with disabilities. Your Committee finds that this measure is a logical extension of last year's amendments.

Your Committee finds that the access aisle adjacent to parking spaces reserved for a person with a disability is important to provide sufficient room to enter and exit vehicles parked in those spaces.

A person who illegally uses the access aisle inhibits use of that space to nearly the same extent as a person who illegally parks within the space itself. Therefore, your Committee fully supports this measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by including a separate amendment to section 291-58, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), to delay for one year the date by which private and public entities must comply with the signage posting and other requirements of Part III of chapter 291, HRS, relating to parking for persons with disabilities.

Your Committee also clarified the title of section 291-57, HRS, to reflect the substantive amendments contained in this measure. Finally, your Committee amended section 291-51.6, HRS, to insert words that were inadvertently omitted when that section was amended during the 2001 legislative session.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2509, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2509, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.