STAND. COM. REP. NO.  879

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 1008

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 1008 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BLIND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to increase pedestrian safety for blind and visually impaired individuals by:

     (1)  Requiring the driver's license examination to test an applicant's knowledge of exercising due care when driving a motor vehicle toward pedestrians who are blind or visually impaired; and

     (2)  Specifying in the Traffic Code that every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care toward pedestrians who are blind or visually impaired.

The Hawaii Association of the Blind and several concerned individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Disability and Communication Access Board and a concerned individual testified in support and recommended amendments.  The Department of Transportation and two concerned individuals provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Deleting from section 291C-74, Hawaii Revised Statutes, amendments that would have added language regarding the exercise of due care for blind or visually impaired pedestrians, since the existing statutory language of that section already encompasses the exercise of due care for blind or visually impaired pedestrians; and

(2)  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. 1008, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1008, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair