STAND. COM. REP. NO.  128

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   H.B. No. 1093

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 1093 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMMERCIAL DRIVER LICENSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to increase highway safety and provide consistency in enforcement and prosecution of commercial motor vehicle operators who drive while under the influence of an intoxicant by making the statutory language concerning blood and breathe alcohol concentration levels for commercial motor vehicle operators consistent with other statutory language concerning this issue.

     The Department of Transportation, Honolulu Police Department, and Hawaii Transportation Association testified in support of this bill.

     Under current laws, the alcohol concentration for commercial motor vehicle operator's suspected of operating their vehicles under the influence of an intoxicant is measured in percent by weight.  A more accurate measurement of an individual's alcohol concentration, which is currently applied to drivers of other motor vehicles, is to determine the concentration of alcohol per liters of breath or per 100 milliliters or cubic centimeters of blood.  Establishing the same criteria for commercial motor vehicle operators as those used for operators of regular motor

vehicles will make enforcement and prosecution of driving under the influence laws more consistent and provide safer roads for Hawaii's residents and visitors.

     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. 1093 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