STAND. COM. REP. NO. 985

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 824

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 Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 824, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RENTALS OF MOPEDS AND MOTOR SCOOTERS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Prohibit the operation of a moped or motor scooter leased from a rental company unless the operator is wearing a helmet; provided that the prohibition does not apply if the operator has a valid license to operate a motorcycle from any state; and

(2) Prohibit the renting out of any moped or motor scooter with an aftermarket modification to its motor.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Meal Prep Las Vegas, Icon Tile, Lexislaw808, and fifty-six individuals.

Your Committees find that wearing a helmet when operating a moped or motor scooter can increase the chance of survival in the event of an accident. According to the Hawaii Injury Prevention Plan for 2012-2017, published by the Emergency Medical Services and Injury Prevention System Branch of the Department of Health, helmets can reduce the risk of death by forty-two percent and reduce the risk of a head injury by sixty-nine percent. Your Committees further find that in the State, there were twenty-three motor scooter and moped operator fatalities from 2016 to 2018. Of the twenty-three fatalities reported, twenty-two operators were not wearing a helmet. This measure will ensure the safety of residents and visitors of the State and reduce the number of fatalities by requiring certain moped and motor scooter operators to wear helmets.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 824, S.D. 1, and recommend that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Judiciary,

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair

________________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair