STAND. COM. REP. NO.  70-10

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2010

RE:   H.B. No. 2776

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 2776 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ADMINISTRATIVE LICENSE REVOCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to give a driver whose license has been administratively revoked for life due to multiple convictions of driving under the influence, a chance for relicensing under specific circumstances.  Specifically, this bill:

(1)  Permits a driver to seek reinstatement of a license no sooner than ten years after the lifetime revocation was imposed;

(2)  Requires an application for reinstatement of a license to be accompanied by written proof that the individual, within 90 days immediately preceding the application, has been assessed by a certified substance abuse counselor and determined not to be in need of substance abuse treatment due to dependency or abuse; and

(3)  Requires a driver to have had no arrests or convictions for driving while a license is revoked.

     Iron Workers Local 625 testified in support of this bill with amendments.  The Department of the Attorney General, Department of Transportation, City and County of Honolulu Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving opposed this measure.  The Judiciary offered comments.

     Although there are a large number of traffic fatalities due to alcohol-related accidents each year, your Committee finds that every individual can be reformed and deserves a second chance, especially if the individual has performed meritorious service for over a decade.

     Your Committee recognizes the safety concerns that were raised.  However, your Committee believes these issues may be addressed through other measures proposing amendments to the ignition interlock law that is still under consideration by the Legislature.  Therefore, your Committee believes that this bill merits further 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. 2776 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