STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2809

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2479

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2479, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ABANDONED VEHICLES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to address the growing number of vehicles abandoned on public roads.

Specifically, this measure:

(1) Requires a county to take into custody a vehicle abandoned on a public road within ten business days of abandonment;

(2) Clarifies that the requirement to provide written notice to the registered owner of an abandoned vehicle applies only to abandoned vehicles that have been reported stolen;

(3) Amends the conditions that constitute a derelict vehicle; and

(4) Repeals the requirement that abandoned vehicles be disposed of by public auction.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from a member of the Hawaii County Council; Ho'omanapono Political Action Committee; OCC Legislative Priorities Committee, Democratic Party of Hawaii; and seven individuals.

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

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the County of Maui - Mayor's Office; and County of Hawaii, Department of Environmental Management.

Your Committee finds that abandoned vehicles on public roads are a widespread and growing environmental problem that can adversely impact human health and safety.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing references to county Directors of Customer Services to county Directors of Finance to be consistent with other provisions of the Hawaii Revised Statutes that provide that vehicle registration records be maintained by the Director of Finance of each county;

(2) Requiring the county agency designated to carry out functions relating to vehicle disposal to adopt rules pursuant to Chapter 91, Hawaii Revised Statutes, regarding notification of vehicle owners;

(3) Codifying the requirement that the Department of Transportation adopt rules to carry out the purposes of the abandoned vehicles law under Chapter 290, Hawaii Revised Statutes; and

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

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. 2479, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2479, S.D. 2.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair