STAND. COM. REP. NO. 640

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 57

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 57, S.D. 1, 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) Codify certain certification, renewal, and violation processes of vehicle inspectors who conduct vehicle safety inspections under the Department of Transportation;

(2) Repeal the requirement for reconstructed vehicles to obtain a special inspection and certification; and

(3) Require the Director of Transportation to adopt administrative rules regarding exhaust noise checks as part of the motor vehicle safety inspection process to be no louder than ninety-five decibels to pass the inspection.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Oahu Motorsports Association, 4Runnation Hawaii, 808 Street Rods, Muscle Cars Hawaii, Okami Works LLC, and seventy-four individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from six individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from five individuals.

Your Committee finds that vehicle inspectors serve the important function of ensuring the safety of vehicles on Hawaii's roads. This measure codifies the process by which vehicle inspectors obtain and renew their certification and the penalties for improper inspections. Your Committee also finds that the reconstructed vehicle inspection program unique to Oahu is not necessary.  Available crash data does not indicate that reconstructed vehicles are more dangerous than other vehicles.   As this program is restricted to Oahu and there is no data to support the conclusion that it is effective, this measure repeals the requirement that reconstructed vehicles be inspected and receive a permit before operating on a public highway.

Your Committee notes the concerns raised in testimony that noise testing is not a road safety concern and may be better regulated and enforced by county noise ordinances or law enforcement. Accordingly, amendments to this measure are necessary to address this concern. Furthermore, your Committee notes this measure is not intended to impact or modify the safety check inspection process for special interest vehicles or street rod vehicles.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have required the Director of Transportation to adopt rules concerning exhaust noise tests as part of the vehicle safety inspection process that would have required exhaust noise to be no louder than ninety-five decibels at max revolutions per minute to pass inspection;

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2040, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) 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 Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 57, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 57, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection,

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair