STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1580

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   S.B. No. 1513

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred S.B. No. 1513 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to conform state motor vehicle equipment specifications to federal and automobile manufacturers' specifications by:

     (1)  Changing the minimum headlamp height requirement from 24 inches to 22 inches; and

(2)  Deleting the requirement that a license plate be attached to a vehicle at a point no lower than 12 inches above the ground.

     The Department of Transportation (DOT) testified in support of this bill.

     Currently, automobiles in Hawaii must comply with motor vehicle equipment specifications that require headlights to be mounted no lower than 24 inches above the road surface when measured to the headlight's center.  However, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 108 allows manufacturers to install headlights on a vehicle at a minimum height of 22 inches.  Since these vehicles meet the requirements of FMVSS 108, they cannot be cited under Hawaii's law.  Confusion occurs with vehicles manufactured with headlights higher than 24 inches that may be modified resulting in lowered headlights.  These vehicles may fall into a gap group of vehicles since they would meet the federal standard but not the state standard.  Changing Hawaii's headlight requirements to conform to federal standards would lessen this confusion.

     Additionally, license plates on motor vehicles must be securely fastened to the vehicle in a position that is no less than 12 inches from the ground.  Your Committee finds that this requirement should be eliminated since many vehicles, especially specialty vehicles and sports cars, have license plate mounts lower than 12 inches above the ground.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1513 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Chair