Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 48 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require persons under the age of eighteen years to wear a safety helmet while operating a moped and wear a bicycle helmet while operating a bicycle.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Department of Transportation, Honolulu Police Department, Brain Injury Association of Hawaii, Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition, one State Representative, and one individual. Testimony in opposition was received from one individual.

Current law does not require a safety helmet to be worn by persons under age sixteen while operating a moped, or a bicycle helmet while operating a bicycle. This measure raises the age to eighteen.

Your Committee finds that unhelmeted bicycle and moped riders are at risk for head injury, the most common cause of death and serious disability in bicycle and moped crashes. Head injuries can produce effects which are profound, disabling, long-lasting, and extremely costly.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 48 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.