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 S.B. No. 2337, S.D. 2, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to deter racing on public highways by enhancing penalties, including increasing fines, providing for license suspension, and requiring forfeiture of vehicles for repeat convictions.

The Department of Transportation and the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu testified in support of this measure. The Honolulu Police Department (HPD) supported the intent of the measure but had serious concerns regarding the forfeiture of vehicles and adequate storage space to impound these vehicles. The Office of the Public Defender opposed the measure.

Racing on public highways has become a very serious problem in this State. Unfortunately, racing has dire consequences, often resulting in deaths and injuries to the racers, their passengers, and innocent motorists. Your Committee finds that stiffer penalties are needed to deter drivers from using public roadways to engage in racing activities.

Your Committee understands concerns that there is inadequate space to store forfeited vehicles, and there may be harsh consequences for a family that may depend on a forfeited vehicle as their only means of transportation, especially on the Neighbor Islands.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

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 S.B. No. 2337, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2337, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.