STAND. COM. REP. NO. 876

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1236

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1236, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PARKING FOR DISABLED PERSONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify and update state laws relating to parking for disabled persons.

Specifically, this measure:

(1) Clarifies that the exemption from parking fees applies only to those disabled persons who drive and are unable to reach or operate a parking meter due to a physical disability;

(2) Updates relevant statutes to reflect current parking technology and terminology;

(3) Makes the act of selling or buying a disability parking permit a misdemeanor;

(4) Authorizes a law enforcement officer to confiscate a disability parking permit that is invalid or has been altered; and

(5) Clarifies the types of disabilities that qualify for a disability parking permit.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Disability and Communication Access Board and two individuals.

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

Your Committee finds that this measure will more closely align the parking meter payment exemption for disabled persons with its original intent by allowing only disabled persons who are unable to reach or feed a parking meter because of their disability to park vehicles in metered parking spaces without payment of parking meter fees.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(2) Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for 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. 1236, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1236, S.D. 2.

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

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair