STAND. COM. REP. NO.  759

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.B. No. 90

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 90, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EMERGENCY RESPONSE VEHICLES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a temporary Emergency Response Vehicle Noise Task Force within the Department of Health to examine the use and effectiveness of lights and sirens by emergency response vehicles when these vehicles respond to calls.  Specifically, the Task Force shall determine:

(1)  The noise impact of sirens used by emergency response vehicles and whether these sirens enhance the safety of first responders and the public; and

(2)  The effectiveness of the use of lights rather than sirens by emergency response vehicles at night.

The Department of Transportation and numerous concerned individuals supported this measure.  The Department of Health and the Honolulu Police Department opposed this measure.  The State Fire Council; Kauai Fire Department; Department of Fire and Public Safety, County of Maui; and Hawai‘i Fire Department provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Adding a member of the blind community to the Task Force;

(2)  Changing its effective date to upon its approval; and

(3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 90, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 90, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair