Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 1063 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to permit the examiner of drivers to use foreign language driving examinations under certain conditions.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) testified in support of the intent of the measure. Na Loio Immigrant Rights and Public Interest Legal Center testified in opposition to this measure. The Department of Customer Services of the City and County of Honolulu commented on this measure.

Currently, all counties administer foreign language driving examinations in eight different languages, including English. This measure would allow the examiner of drivers to expand this list should the Director of DOT deem it necessary.

However, your Committee realizes that the counties presently pay between $270 and $500 for translation and distribution costs of these foreign language exams. Since this bill is allowing the Director of DOT to determine when any additional foreign exams should be administered by the counties, DOT should pay for these costs.

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 H.B. No. 1063, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1063, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce.