STAND. COM. REP. NO. 563

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 57

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred S.B. No. 57 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VEHICLE INSPECTIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Statutorily establish certain certification, renewal, and violation processes for vehicle inspectors who conduct safety inspections under the Department of Transportation; and

(2) Repeal requirements for reconstructed vehicles to obtain a special inspection and certification.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Oahu Motorsports Association, and seventy-five individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Honolulu Police Department.

Your Committee finds that vehicle inspectors serve an important function in the State by certifying the safety of vehicles in Hawaii. This measure codifies the process by which vehicle inspectors earn and renew their certification and are penalized for improper inspections.

Your Committee also finds that the reconstructed vehicle inspection program on Oahu is not necessary. Available crash data does not indicate that reconstructed vehicles are more dangerous than other vehicles. Moreover, the reconstructed vehicle program does not exist on the neighbor islands. As this program is unique to Oahu and there is no data to support the conclusion that it is effective, this measure repeals the reconstructed vehicle program.

Your Committee notes that elements of the reconstructed vehicle inspection, specifically with regard to tire width and fender flares, rear mud guards, and maximum vehicle height are issues of public safety. The Department of Transportation has assured your Committee that these elements are already part of the existing motor vehicle safety inspection program statewide and it is the expectation of your Committee that these elements will continue to be required to be inspected on all motor vehicles under the state motor vehicle inspection program.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the Department of Transportation to adopt rules to include exhaust noise tests to ensure exhaust noise does not exceed ninety-five decibels as part of the safety inspection process; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

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. 57, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 57, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

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

________________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair