THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2870
TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2012
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO DRIVER LICENSING.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  Chapter 286, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§286-   Driver license reciprocity with foreign countries. (a) The director of the Hawaii state department of transportation shall establish a statewide driver's license reciprocity committee consisting of one representative from the department of transportation and each of the four county chief examiners of drivers or their designees.  The committee shall convene whenever a foreign country makes a request for driver's license reciprocity.

(b) The purpose of the statewide driver's license reciprocity committee shall be to evaluate the written knowledge and practical examination program of the requesting foreign country for driver's license reciprocity.

(c) Members of the driver's license reciprocity committee shall serve voluntarily and without compensation, but shall be paid reasonable allowances for travel and expenses that may be incurred as a result of performance of their duties on the committee.  The costs shall be paid by the department.

(d) In the event there is available from the requesting foreign country an evaluation prepared by another United States driver licensing agency or the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, then the driver's license reciprocity committee shall conduct a comparison review of said evaluation and the State's driver licensing examination standards and submit a written recommendation to the Hawaii state legislature no later than twenty calendar days prior to the convening of the appropriate legislative session.

(e) If there is no such evaluation available from the requesting foreign country, then the director of transportation may select from the driver's license reciprocity committee a state representative from the department of transportation and a county representative from the counties' examiner of drivers to travel to the requesting foreign country, at the expense of the requesting foreign country, to inspect and examine the foreign country's driver's license examination program and advise the committee of their findings.  The committee shall review the findings and submit a written recommendation to the Hawaii state legislature on whether the foreign country's driver's license examination standards correspond to Hawaii's driver's license examination standards.  The written recommendation shall be submitted to the legislature no later than twenty calendar days prior to the convening of the appropriate legislative session subsequent to the travel and evaluation by the driver's license reciprocity committee.

The director of transportation shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 necessary for the purposes of this section."

     SECTION 2.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________
	BY REQUEST

Report Title:

Driver's License; Foreign Countries; Reciprocity

Description:

Directs the Director of the Department of Transportation to select a statewide driver's license reciprocity committee to evaluate foreign countries' requests for driver's license reciprocity to ensure the standards of the foreign countries' driver's license testing is equivalent to Hawaii's driver's license testing.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.