STAND. COM. REP. NO. 615

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1166

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Human Services and Public Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 1166 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to educate the public about the Child Passenger Restraints Law and to help subsidize the cost of the child booster car seats for low‑income families.

     The Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition and the Occupational Therapy Association of Hawaii submitted testimony in support of this measure.  The Department of Human Services submitted testimony in opposition.

     Your Committee received a statement from the Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition that this measure, if passed, would cost the State approximately $432,230 for both fiscal years 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 combined.  The estimated budget includes the following expenses: $35,000 for a director; $30,720 for project staff; $130,000 for booster seats for six thousand children; $132,170 for the media campaign; $62,400 for educators or technicians; $10,400 for InfoLine; $11,040 for the website; and $20,500 for an administrative fee at five per cent for two years.

     Your Committee finds, effective January 1, 2007, under state law, a child four years of age or older, but less than eight years of age, and under certain weight and height minimums, must be properly secured in a child safety seat or booster car seat.

     While a child that is properly secured in a child safety seat or booster car seat is at a reduced risk of injury, the cost of purchasing booster car seats adversely impacts low-income families as they may not have sufficient funds to afford booster car seats.  This measure will educate the public about the new law and increase the use of booster car seats.

     It is the Committee's intent to help ensure the safety of child passengers.  Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Requiring the Department of Health, instead of the Department of Human Services, to:

          (A)  Assist the Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition with the design and implementation of the subsidy program; and

          (B)  Expend the sums appropriated for the purposes of this measure;

     (2)  Enabling the Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition to partner with agencies that provide services to low‑income families to assist with disseminating information regarding the subsidy to the public and educating the public about the Child Passenger Restraints Law; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services and Public Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1166, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1166, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services and Public Housing,

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair