STAND. COM. REP. NO. 642-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 2751

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 Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 2751 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FINANCIAL HARDSHIP,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Expand the conditions for authorizing a restricted driver's license or instruction permit, other than a commercial driver's license;

(2) Provide judges with greater discretion to adjust the amount owed by a person who violates certain traffic offenses based on the person's inability to pay; and

(3) Increase the amount of credit given to a contumacious person committed for nonpayment.

Your Committee finds that the Financial Hardship Task Force, established pursuant to Act 112, Session Laws of Hawaii 2019, made several recommendations on how to improve the current traffic system to address the needs of those who are experiencing financial hardship. Your Committee further finds that this measure implements several recommendations from the Task Force.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from County of Kauai Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, Community Alliance on Prisons, and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Judiciary, Office of the Public Defender, and American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting the provisions of H.B. No. 2023, which:

(A) Provides Hawaii residents with the option of paying for the registration of their motor vehicles and associated taxes and fees on a biannual basis;

(B) Restricts the amount of delinquency tax due to the current tax due plus one year; and

(C) Removes language allowing storage costs and costs incident to seizure of a vehicle from inclusion in the amount the owner of a vehicle must pay in order to redeem the vehicle after seizure;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) 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 Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2751, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2751, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

____________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair