STAND. COM. REP. NO. 289

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1528

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Transportation and International Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1528 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRAFFIC INFRACTIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to clarify that all traffic offenses and violations under the statewide traffic code are treated as traffic violations, not convictions.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Judiciary and Kauai Safety Agency.

     Your Committee finds that this measure would affirm that traffic offenses are infractions, and therefore are deemed civil rather than criminal matters.  According to testimony of the Judiciary, this measure is in keeping with Hawaii appellate case law.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and International Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1528 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation and International Affairs,

____________________________

J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair