STAND. COM. REP. NO. 647

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 663

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Transportation and Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 663 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a Red Light Running Committee to review the photo red light imaging detector systems program;

(2) Establish the photo red light imaging detector systems program and related procedures;

(3) Authorize the counties to administer the photo red light imaging detector systems program and require proceeds of fines to be expended in the county from which the fines were collected; and

(4) Appropriate funds to implement the program.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Honolulu Police Department, Office of the Prosecuting Attorney of the County of Hawaii, Mothers Against Drunk Driving Hawaii, Hawaii Strategic Highway Safety Plan, Bikeshare Hawaii, Blue Zones Project Hawaii, Hawaii Bicycling League, and eleven individuals. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Office of the Public Defender and one individual. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and AAA Hawaii.

Your Committees find that drivers who run a red light endanger the lives of pedestrians, motorists, and the drivers themselves. The prevalence of drivers violating traffic laws in Hawaii has become rampant, especially those who run red lights. Your Committees further find that photo red light imaging detector systems have proven to be efficient and effective in identifying and deterring red light runners in other jurisdictions in Canada, Europe, the United States, and other countries throughout the world. Your Committees believe that a photo red light imaging detector system will improve the safety of all and deter drivers from creating hazardous situations by violating traffic laws.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring that any photographs, microphotographs, videotape, or other recorded images taken and stored by a photo red light imaging detector system shall be used only for evidentiary purposes and shall be disposed of or destroyed upon completion of final proceedings;

(2) Reinstating the current monetary penalties for violating the traffic code;

(3) Removing the appropriation to establish the photo red light imaging detector systems program; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Transportation and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 663, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 663, 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 Judiciary,

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair

________________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair