CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 62

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: S.B. No. 98

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 98, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to clarify that a driver of a motor vehicle shall yield to or stop for a pedestrian when a pedestrian is considered to be within an intersection or adjacent crosswalk.

Your Committee on Conference finds that it is unclear when a vehicle is required to yield to the right-of-way to a pedestrian who plans to cross or is crossing a roadway, thereby putting pedestrians at risk of irreparable injury or death. The ambiguity in existing law has resulted in numerous accidents involving a motor vehicle and pedestrians attempting to cross the street. Your Committee on Conference further finds that in 2018, there were 43 pedestrian fatalities due to a vehicle accident, an increase of 28 fatalities from 2017. Your Committee on Conference believes that in order to improve pedestrian safety throughout the State, existing law needs to be clear that a pedestrian is legally within a crosswalk when any part or extension of the pedestrian is beyond the curb or edges of the traversable roadway.

Your Committee on Conference has amended the measure by making it effective upon approval.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 98, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 98, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ HENRY J.C. AQUINO Co-Chair	____________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE Chair
____________________________ CHRIS LEE Co-Chair	____________________________ KARL RHOADS Co-Chair