CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 6

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2009

RE:    H.B. No. 1422

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

       C.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir and Madam:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 1422, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this bill is to allow counties to remove abandoned motor vehicles from private roads.  Specifically, this measure:

(1)  Considers a vehicle on a private road to be unlawfully parked if:

     (A)  The vehicle is inoperable; and

(B)  The owner of the private road requests in writing the removal of a vehicle;

     (2)  Requires the owner of the private road who requests vehicle removal to pay for the removal; and

     (3)  Deems the owner of the private road who requests vehicle removal to agree to indemnify and hold the county harmless for claims arising from the removal and disposal of the vehicle.

Some residents abutting private roads are currently experiencing problems with abandoned vehicles left on these roads.  Although counties are already allowed to remove abandoned vehicles from public roadways, removing these vehicles from a private road is often more complex and generally requires the involvement of the owner of the road.  Since abandoned vehicles often pose a health and safety hazard to the community, your Committee on Conference finds that removal of these vehicles is in the best interest of public health and safety.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2009;

     (2)  Changing the sunset date to January 1, 2010; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1422, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1422, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair	____________________________ JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Co-Chair
____________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Co-Chair	____________________________ JON RIKI KARAMATSU, Co-Chair