Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2601, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to define the term "electric personal assistive mobility device", regulate those devices under the traffic code, and restrict their use to government or business use or for mobility-impaired operators.

Your Committee finds that much interest has arisen in the use of the Segway Human Transporter, a two-wheeled motorized device for business and commuter use. The Segway does not fall neatly into any one category of vehicle, and so it is unclear how it would best be regulated under existing law. Your Committee finds that the Segway and any similar type of vehicle should be classified in the traffic code so that its use can be regulated and reviewed.

Your Committee has amended this bill by reducing the cumbersome phrase "electric personal assistive mobility device" to "mobility device" and by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2601, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2601, S.D. 2.