STAND. COM. REP. NO. 905

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 221

       S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 221, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to improve traffic safety.

     More specifically, the measure:

     (1)  Establishes a photo red light imaging detector systems program to improve enforcement of traffic signal laws;

     (2)  Authorizes counties to implement the photo red light imaging detector systems program;

     (3)  Requires fines collected by a county under the photo red light imaging detector systems program to be deposited into a general fund account;

     (4)  Authorizes the expenditure of funds from the general fund account to be expended, in the county in which the fine was collected, for the establishment, operation, management, and maintenance of a photo red light imaging detector system; and

     (5)  Makes an appropriation for the photo red light imaging detector systems program.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, the Honolulu Police Department, the Mayor of the County of Hawaii, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

     Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Judiciary.

     Your Committee finds that drivers who run a red light endanger the lives of pedestrians, motorists, and the drivers themselves.  Photo red light imaging detector systems have proven to be effective in identifying and deterring red light runners in other jurisdictions in the United States, in Canada, and in countries in Europe and throughout the world.

     Your Committee further finds that before a photo red light imaging detector systems program is implemented in this State, a Red Light Running Committee should be established by the Department of Transportation and should include participants from county police, prosecutors, and transportation officials.  The Red Light Running Committee should review this measure prior to its implementation and submit a report to the Legislature regarding potential ways to improve the measure and its implementation.

     Your Committee intends that the Red Light Running Committee be in effect from the July 1 preceding the effective date of the program provisions of parts III and IV of the measure as received by your Committee.  Your Committee also intends that the Red Light Running Committee submit any proposed amendments to the program provisions to the Legislature before the Regular Session of 2018 that are deemed necessary to improve the program, as well as any requests for additional resources required to implement and effectuate the program.  Your Committee further intends that the Legislature consider the recommended amendments and resource requests before the effective date of the program provisions.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Requiring the Department of Transportation to establish a Red Light Running Committee and to invite the participation of county police, prosecutors, and transportation officials;

     (2)  Requiring the Red Light Running Committee to submit a report to the Legislature including any findings and recommendations, and any proposed legislation or amendments to this measure, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2018 Regular Session;

     (3)  Codifying the provisions pertaining to the Photo Red Light Imaging Detector Systems Program as a new chapter in the Hawaii Revised Statutes, rather than establishing the program in a temporary law; and

     (4)  Changing the effective date of the program provisions to January 1, 2041, and making the provisions establishing the Red Light Running Committee effective July 1, 2040, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 221, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 221, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair