STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1418

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   S.B. No. 1709

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislatures

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     You're Committee on Transportation, to which was referred S.B. No. 1709, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MOPEDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to promote the use of specially-designed three-wheeled mopeds by exempting three-wheeled mopeds designed to carry a driver and passenger seated side-by-side from certain prohibitions on the operation of mopeds.

     Shamrock Importers, LLC, supported this bill.  The Department of Transportation and Hawaii Bicycling League opposed this measure.  The Department of Customer Services of the City and County of Honolulu submitted comments.

     Your Committee finds that three-wheeled mopeds may provide a safer alternative to two-wheeled mopeds for residents and visitors who desire the low cost, convenience, and high gas mileage of mopeds, but who are nervous or unsure of driving a two-wheeled moped. 

     However, your Committee also recognizes concerns rose regarding the safety of incorporating the three-wheeled moped in actual traffic conditions with much larger automobiles and trucks, as well as the impact the operation of these vehicles in bicycle lanes would have on bicyclists.  Accordingly, your Committee has amended this bill by placing additional restrictions on the operation of three-wheeled mopeds, including requiring that these vehicles:

(1)  Be operated only on roadways with posted speed limits of 35 mph or less;

     (2)  Only be operated on the right lane of a roadway;

     (3)  Be prohibited from being operated in bicycle lanes; and

(4)  Requiring the drivers of these vehicles to have bodily injury and property damage insurance but not personal injury protection insurance.

     Your Committee has also amended this measure by:

(1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2007; and

(2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for clarity, consistency, and style.

     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. 1709, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1709, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

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

____________________________

JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Chair