STAND

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 427

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.B. No. 1197

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 1197 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ADMINISTRATIVE LICENSE REVOCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to enable a driver who had a license administratively revoked for life due to multiple driving under the influence convictions a chance to have the license restored under specific circumstances. Specifically, this bill:

(1) Permits a driver to seek reinstatement of a license no sooner than 10 years since the lifetime revocation was imposed;

(2) Requires an application for reinstatement of a license to be accompanied by written proof that the individual, within 90 days immediately preceding the application, has been assessed by a certified substance abuse counselor and determined not to be in need of substance abuse treatment due to dependency or abuse; and

(3) Requires a driver to have had no arrests or convictions for driving while a license is revoked.

Several concerned individuals and pastors testified in support of this measure. The Department of Transportation, MADD-Hawaii, and The Honolulu Police Department testified in opposition to this bill. The Judiciary commented on this measure.

Your Committee finds that although 33 percent of traffic fatalities were due to alcohol-related accidents in 2004, every individual can be reformed and deserves a second chance, especially if the individual has performed meritorious service for over a decade.

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. 1197 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation,

		____________________________ JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Chair