STAND. COM. REP. NO. 44

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1325

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Transportation and International Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1325 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to define the term "after market motorcycle frame" and to allow a county director of finance to assign a vehicle identification number to a motorcycle with an after market frame.  This measure disallows the registration of uncertified motor vehicles and devices, except for special interest vehicles, reconstructed vehicles, and motorcycles built on an after market motorcycle frame.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Department of Transportation and the Department of Customer Services of the City and County of Honolulu.

     Your Committee finds that the intent of this measure is to disallow the motor vehicle registration of uncertified motor vehicles and devices, which is critical to protect the public safety.  The broad definition of "motorcycle" under section 286-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, allows motorcycles that were manufactured for off-road use only to be registered for use on public roads.  This measure restricts motor vehicle registration to only those vehicles that are in compliance with all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.  In effect, off-road dirt motorcycles and pocket motorcycles cannot be registered and therefore cannot be driven on public roads.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and International Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1325 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

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

____________________________

J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair