STAND. COM. REP. NO.  937

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 351

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 351, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HIGHWAY SAFETY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to improve driver and pedestrian traffic safety by:

     (1)  Establishing a Photo Red Light Imaging Detector System Program (Program) to improve enforcement of the traffic signal laws;

(2)  Allowing counties to implement the Program;

     (3)  Revising fines collected under county Programs to be deposited into a Photo Red Light Imaging Detector System Program Account (Account) within the general fund;

     (4)  Requiring funds from the Account to be expended in the county in which the fine was collected for the establishment, operation, management, and maintenance of the Program; and

     (5)  Increasing the time to seventy-two hours by which a citation must be mailed to the registered owner of a vehicle that used the high occupancy vehicle lane illegally.

     The Downtown Neighborhood Board No. 13, Hawaii Insurers Council, State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, Mothers Against Drunk Driving – Hawaii, and Hawaii Bicycling League supported this bill.  Catrala – Hawaii, Avis Rent A Car, Dollar Rent A Car, and Thrifty Car Rental supported this measure with amendments.  The Department of Transportation and Department of Transportation Services of the City and County of Honolulu supported the intent of this bill.  Several concerned individuals opposed this measure.  The Department of the Attorney General submitted comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Limiting the amount a rental car company would have to pay to $15 if a car owned by them is fined under the Program and the company is unable to provide the name and address of the customer responsible for the violation; and

(2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 351, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 351, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair