STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2959

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 32

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Transportation and Energy, to which was referred H.B. No. 32 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CROSSWALK SAFETY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify when a pedestrian is considered within the intersection or crosswalk for purposes of determining when vehicular traffic must yield to the pedestrian.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Honolulu Police Department, and two individuals.

     Your Committee finds that section 291C-33, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to pedestrian-control signals, was last amended in 1981.  This section needs to be updated to include countdown timers and to clarify when a pedestrian is allowed to cross when the countdown timer is operating.  Countdown timers show pedestrians how many seconds are left to cross the street before the pedestrian signal changes from a flashing "Don't Walk" to a steady "Don't Walk" or upraised palm indication.

     Your Committee further finds that if a pedestrian-control signal is equipped with a countdown timer, any pedestrian who has partially completed the pedestrian's crossing while the countdown timer is operating should be able to legally complete the crossing to a sidewalk or safety island.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting its contents and inserting the contents of S.B. No. 2585, S.D.1, which clarifies when pedestrians may enter a crosswalk equipped with a countdown timer.  Your Committee has further amended the measure by adding a savings clause.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and Energy that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 32, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 32, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

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

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LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair