STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 100-20
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2020
RE: H.B. No. 2004
H.D. 1
Honorable Scott K. Saiki
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirtieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2020
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 2004 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILD PASSENGER RESTRAINTS,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to:
(1) Amend child passenger restraint requirements by raising the permissible age of a child passenger to under ten years of age from under eight years old, while requiring the operator of the motor vehicle to provide child passenger restraints under various circumstances, including:
(A) If the child is under two years of age, the restraint must be a federally approved rear facing child safety seat; and
(B) If the child is seven to less than ten years of age, the operator is exempt from the requirements relating to child safety seats or booster seats and need only restrain the child by a lap and shoulder seat belt assembly if the child meets certain height and weight requirements;
(2) Repeal the exemption from child passenger restraint requirements for vehicles with less seat belt assemblies than the number of passengers; and
(3) Increase the fines for violations.
Your Committee finds that traffic accidents continue to be a leading cause of death for Hawaii's children and youth. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines, infants and toddlers should ride in rear-facing car safety seats as long as possible, until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their seats. Your Committee further finds that rear facing child safety seats spread crash forces over the whole area of a child's back, head, and neck, protecting the spinal cord from snapping, which can lead to death or permanent severe injury. This measure will help protect Hawaii's keiki from injury should they be in a car accident.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Inserting an effective date of July 1,
2050, to encourage further discussion; and
(2) 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 Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2004, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2004, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation,
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____________________________ HENRY J.C. AQUINO, Chair |
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