STAND. COM. REP. NO. 479

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 792

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Transportation and Energy and Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 792 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO UNADJUDICATED TRAFFIC FINES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to transfer all fines and forfeitures collected for uncontested traffic violations to the county wherein the violations occur.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Council Chair of the Kaua‘i County Council.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Judiciary.

     Your Committees find that the counties administer the traffic violations bureau on behalf of the State.  Under existing law all traffic violation fines are paid to the State but are collected by the counties.

     Your Committees further find that the counties are in dire financial straits and desperately need more revenue.  Your Committees believe that the counties should share in the revenue from certain traffic fines.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  On the recommendation of the Judiciary, inserting language that mandates an unspecified amount to be transferred to the counties rather than all amounts in excess of the amounts required by the State to pay the administrative costs of the traffic violations bureau;

     (2)  Clarifying that each county shall receive an unspecified percentage of the fines collected in that county; and

     (3)  Inserting an effective date of January 1, 2020, to encourage further discussion.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Transportation and Energy and Judiciary and Labor that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 792, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 792, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Transportation and Energy and Judiciary and Labor,

________________________________ GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair

________________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair