Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 427, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to require that a child be properly restrained in a child safety seat or booster seat that meets federal motor vehicle safety standards, with limited conditional exceptions for child weight and height.

Your Committee finds that the proper use of child passenger restraints is the most important factor in preventing death and disability in a car crash. Although it is currently legal for children over the age of four to be restrained only with seat belts, this practice exposes children to an increased risk of serious or even fatal injury. Seat belts were designed for older children and adults, not for children under eight years old whose size and physical development make seat belts less effective, and in some cases, unsafe.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 427, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 427, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.