STAND. COM. REP. NO. 637

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 420

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 420 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LASER DEVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to make it a criminal offense to intentionally or knowingly direct the beam from a laser or laser scope at an occupied aircraft under certain circumstances.

     Your Committee did not receive any written testimony pertaining to this measure.

     Your Committee finds that in recent years a growing number of incidents have occurred in which individuals have targeted aircrafts with laser lights during flight or while landing.  However, the penal code does not adequately address situations in which an individual aims a laser light at an occupied aircraft and is particularly deficient in situations where the individual with the laser light causes injuries to those on board.  This measure establishes criminal offenses for directing a laser light at an occupied aircraft to deter such actions and to help ensure flight and passenger safety.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting an effective date of January 7, 2059, to encourage further discussion; and

     (2)  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 Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 420, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 420, S.D. 1.

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

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GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair