STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2283

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2736

       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 S.B. No. 2736 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATEWIDE TRAFFIC CODE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Require a certificate of inspection for mopeds;

     (2)  Require a moped driver, regardless of age, to wear a safety helmet securely fastened with a chin strap, closed-toe footwear, protective long pants, and a protective moped or motorcycle jacket; and

     (3)  Define closed-toe footwear, protective long pants, and protective moped or motorcycle jacket.

     Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

     Your Committee finds that mopeds provide an inexpensive, reliable, and convenient means of transportation.  However, your Committee finds that mopeds are almost entirely unregulated.  The only requirement is that mopeds be registered and subject to a registration fee, in the same manner as bicycles under section 249-14, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

     Your Committee further finds that the prevalence of mopeds and the likelihood of accidents involving mopeds require that mopeds be subject to registration and safety inspections, and have number plates.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Requiring that mopeds be subject to registration and safety inspections, and have number plates;

     (2)  Deleting the requirement that moped drivers wear protective clothing and shoes; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     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 S.B. No. 2736, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2736, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health.

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

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LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair