STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3372
Honolulu, Hawaii
RE: S.R. No. 29
S.D. 1
Honorable Robert Bunda
President of the Senate
Twenty-Third State Legislature
Regular Session of 2006
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Transportation and Government Operations, to which was referred S.R. No. 29 entitled:
"SENATE RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A TASK FORCE TO RECOMMEND WHETHER THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SHOULD ADOPT THE BASIC RIDER COURSE OF THE MOTORCYCLE SAFETY FOUNDATION AS A COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR THE ENTIRE MOTORCYCLE COMMUNITY,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to establish a task force to recommend whether the Department of Transportation should adopt the basic rider course of the Motorcycle Safety Foundation as a comprehensive educational program for the entire motorcycle community.
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Street Bikers United Hawaii; Street Bikers United Hawaii – Oahu Chapter; Street Bikers United Hawaii – Maui Chapter; Motorcycle Safety Foundation; Harley-Davidson Motor Company; Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.; Advocates: Government Affairs Consulting; and four individuals. Comments were received from the Department of Transportation.
Current law requires a person seeking to obtain motorcycle liability insurance coverage to also complete the same motorcycle education course approved by the Department of Transportation. The current motorcycle education course of the Department of Transportation is the Hawaii Motorcycle Safety and Education Program, which was first developed nearly twenty years ago and which is an outdated program that only one or two states still administer today. The new replacement course is the Basic Rider Course of the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, which is the only entity nationally that develops and produces certified motor cycle rider instruction courses. Military bases in Hawaii conduct the Basic Rider Course for military personnel, but the personnel who pass that course are unable to obtain a Hawaii motor cycle license because the Department of Transportation has yet to adopt the program.
Your Committee finds that the delay in adoption of the updated Basic Rider Course in Hawaii has reached critical proportions, since the current Hawaii Motorcycle Safety and Education Program passed the deadline for continued certification by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. Your Committee notes, however, that the delay was caused by a state affiliated entity rather than by the Department of Transportation.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Adding that the task force consider whether current holders of motor cycle drivers licenses be re-tested or re-licensed under the new Basic Rider Course;
(2) Adding concerns about state liability;
(3) Adding each branch of the United States military, Motorcycle Dealers Association, Honolulu Police Department, and a rider coach trainer to membership on the task force; and
(4) Deleting representation of the county directors of finance, for reasons of expediency, and substituting the Examiner of Drivers of the City and County of Honolulu as fair representation of the respective county motor cycle licensing interests.
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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 29, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 29, S.D. 1.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation and Government Operations,
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____________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair |
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