STAND. COM. REP. NO. 20

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 281

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 281 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATEWIDE TRAFFIC CODE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to allow the counties to prohibit or to regulate the use of electric personal assistive mobility devices on sidewalks.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Honolulu Department of Transportation Services, Segway Inc., and one individual.  Comments were received from the Waikiki Improvement Association.

Your Committee finds that electric personal assistive mobility devices, also known as Segways, present unique problems to sidewalk pedestrian use which depends on the character of each neighborhood.  Each county is better able to judge for itself the permissible use of Segways on sidewalks.  Your Committee also believes that this matter is a home-rule issue that should be delegated to the counties.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 281 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs,

____________________________

J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair