STAND. COM. REP. NO.  560

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   H.B. No. 1422

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 1422 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to allow the counties to remove abandoned motor vehicles from private roads.

     Several concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Customer Services (DCS) of the City and County of Honolulu and Honolulu Police Department opposed this measure.

     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 actual owner of the road.  Since abandoned vehicles oftentimes pose a health and safety hazard to the community, your Committee finds that removal of these vehicles is in the best interest of public health and safety.

     Although DCS informed your Committee that private landowners currently have the ability to have unauthorized vehicles removed from their property, there may be instances where obviously abandoned and deteriorating vehicles are difficult to remove.  Your Committee concurs that this matter deserves further consideration and discussion.

     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 H.B. No. 1422 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

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

____________________________

JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Chair