STAND. COM. REP. NO.  268

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   H.B. No. 775

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. 775 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE PHOTO ENFORCEMENT REVOLVING FUND,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to assist the State in addressing its budgetary needs by transferring all monies contained in the Photo Enforcement Revolving Fund (Revolving Fund) to the General Fund.

     The Hawaii Government Employees Association testified in support of this bill.

     The prevalence of drivers violating Hawaii's speeding laws has resulted in numerous attempts to curb this activity that endangers the lives of motorists and pedestrians and compounds the already hazardous conditions on Hawaii's roads and highways.  One of these programs was known as the Traffic Enforcement Demonstration Project (Project), which was originally authorized in 1998 and began operations in 2001, which used cameras to take photos of vehicles violating Hawaii's speeding laws.  A Revolving Fund was also created into which monies would be deposited for operational and other expenses of the Project.

     However, the Project caused numerous disruptions to drivers and pedestrians in the State and was repealed in 2002, with a directive that all monies left in the Revolving Fund be transferred to the General Fund.  However, records appear to indicate that a balance of $3,480,000 remains in the Revolving Fund.  Your Committee finds that given the State's current fiscal situation, restating the directive that these unused funds be transferred to the General Fund is prudent.

     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. 775 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Chair