Report Title:

Car Baiting ; Grant-In-Aid to the City and County of Honolulu

 

Description:

Appropriates funds for a grant-in-aid to the city and county of Honolulu to establish car-baiting pilot program designed to reduce automobile theft on Oahu.  (HB323 HD1)

 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

323

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO AUTOMOBILE THEFT.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that automobile theft is a significant problem in the city and county of Honolulu.  Other jurisdictions facing this problem have implemented car-baiting programs, which have drastically reduced the number and frequency of such thefts.  Car-baiting programs use "bait cars," specially modified vehicles planted by police in areas reputed to have a high rate of automobile thefts.  These vehicles are equipped with features including global-positioning system tracking and hidden cameras that record audio and video, time, and date.  They also have the ability to remotely monitor a variety of vehicle sensors and control a vehicle by disabling the engine and locking the doors.  Because suspects are not enticed to steal the vehicle by any means other than its availability and their own volition, car-baiting does not constitute entrapment.

     The purpose of this Act is to make a grant-in-aid to the city and county of Honolulu to establish a temporary car-baiting pilot program to alleviate the problem of automobile theft on Oahu.  In developing the car-baiting program, the Honolulu police department shall clarify that the program does not constitute entrapment. 

     SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007-2008 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009 as a grant-in-aid to the city and county of Honolulu police department to establish a temporary car-baiting pilot program to reduce the number and frequency of automobile thefts in the city and county of Honolulu.  The car-baiting pilot program shall be operational by July 1, 2008 and shall cease to operate on June 30, 2009.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the city and county of Honolulu for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2112, provided that the Act shall be repealed on June 30, 2009.