CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 65

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: S.B. No. 153

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

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. 153, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

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:

(1) Prohibit any person whose driver's license has been administratively revoked or who has been convicted for offenses involving operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant from being eligible for a driver's license without providing proof of compliance with the ignition interlock law;

(2) Require the Director of Transportation to contract with the selected ignition interlock vendor to provide at no cost for the installation and periodic calibration charges to certain offenders who apply for assistance; and

(3) Require a person who does not own or have the use of a vehicle in which the person can install an ignition interlock device during the revocation period or is otherwise unable to drive during the revocation period to be absolutely prohibited from driving during a period of time equal to twice that of the applicable revocation period.

Your Committee on Conference finds that the ignition interlock program plays a crucial role in preventing an individual from being a repeat offender of driving under the influence of an intoxicant. However, your Committee on Conference has several questions regarding the ignition interlock program and how it can be improved.

Your Committee on Conference notes that resolving these issues through a task force of experts is the best path forward. Your Committee on Conference finds that in 2016, Governor Ige signed Executive Order No. 16-02 that temporarily established the Hawaii Impaired Driving Task Force. The purpose of the task force was to provide a comprehensive strategy for preventing and reducing impaired driving behavior in Hawaii. Because there are lingering questions surrounding the ignition interlock program and impaired driving in general, your Committee on Conference finds it appropriate to make the Hawaii Impaired Driving Task Force a permanent body housed within the Department of Transportation and tasking it with answering the unresolved ignition interlock questions.

Accordingly, your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting its contents and inserting language that establishes the Hawaii Impaired Driving Council and tasking it with addressing the questions raised by the discussion on this measure; and

(2) Making it effective upon its 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. 153, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 153, S.D. 2, 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

____________________________ SCOT Z. MATAYOSHI Chair	____________________________ CHRIS LEE Chair
	____________________________ KARL RHOADS Co-Chair