STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1115-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: S.B. No. 2508

S.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 S.B. No. 2508, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATEWIDE TRAFFIC CODE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to comply with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's recommendations in regard to describing a motor vehicle collision by replacing the term "accident" with "collision" for the certain provisions of the traffic code.

Your Committee received testimony in support from the Department of Transportation, Honolulu Police Department, Mothers Against Drunk Driving Hawaii, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that National Highway Traffic Safety Administration encourages use of the term "collision" over "accident" because an accident is an unplanned event resulting in unintended consequences and motor vehicle collisions involve planned and intended events, which could theoretically impact an interpretation of the driver's state of mind in criminal cases.

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 S.B. No. 2508, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

____________________________

HENRY J.C. AQUINO, Chair