STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2026

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2614

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2614 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EXCESSIVE SPEEDING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to authorize the court, in its discretion, to order forfeiture of a defendant's vehicle if it was used in the commission of at least two prior excessive speeding convictions.

     Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the State Department of Transportation.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that the offense of excessive speeding is particularly egregious.  As stated in Conference Committee Report No. 57-06, which recommended the passage of H.B. No. 862, C.D. 1, enacted as Act 129, Session Laws of Hawaii 2006, relating to excessive speeding:

          "Your Committee on Conference finds that numerous community concerns have been raised regarding drivers who operate their vehicles at unsafe speeds and endanger the lives of fellow motorists and pedestrians.  This measure addresses these concerns."

     Your Committee finds that forfeiture of the defendant's motor vehicle may be the most effective means of deterring to repeated excessive speeding.  Your Committee understands the concerns raised by the Department of Transportation about resources for storage and maintenance of forfeited vehicles.  This concern has been raised before in other measures requiring forfeiture of vehicles.  However, your Committee believes that the Department could come to a resolution of the problem if it examined the forfeiture proceedings to expedite the disposal of the forfeited vehicles.  With regard to lack of storage space, your Committee believes that the Department must find space in existing state properties that would be suitable. 

     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. 2614 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Government Operations.

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

____________________________

J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair