STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1375

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 6

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.C.R. No. 6 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE CONVENING OF A TASK FORCE TO RECOMMEND A PROCESS TO CREATE A CITIZEN ROAD WATCH PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to convene a task force to recommend a process to create a Citizen Road Watch program.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation and Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization.

     The task force would be composed of one member of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate; one member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House; one representative of the Department of Transportation; the City and County of Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney or the Prosecuting Attorney's designee; the Public Defender or the Public Defender's designee; one representative of the City and County of Honolulu Police Department; one representative of the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization; one representative of the Oahu Neighborhood Boards appointed by the President of the Senate; and one representative of the Oahu Neighborhood Boards appointed by the Speaker of the House.  The task force would report to the 2009 Legislature.

     Your Committee is informed that there is a similar Road Watch program in Richmond Hill, California, gives residents an opportunity to report aggressive and unsafe driving in their neighborhoods to the police through the use of Citizen Report forms.  This information assists the police in identifying unsafe driving acts or "hot spots" that are traffic problem areas, particularly speeding.  This measure engages local residents in changing driving behavior on their neighborhood streets.

     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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 6 and recommends that it 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