STAND. COM. REP. NO. 23-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 1413

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 1413 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ABANDONED VEHICLES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize a county director of finance to require payment of outstanding charges and fines relating to the disposition of an abandoned vehicle before issuing a certificate of registration or completing a transfer of ownership, except under certain circumstances; and

(2) Require a county director of finance to notify the appropriate county examiner of drivers of the individuals who have outstanding charges and fines owed to the county relating to the disposition of an abandoned vehicle for the purposes of suspending, revoking, or prohibiting the renewal of their driver's licenses.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Council of Mayors; Mayor of the County of Hawai‘i; one member of the Maui County Council; one member of the Kaua‘i County Council; one member of the Hawai‘i County Council; County of Kaua‘i Department of Finance; County of Maui Department of Environmental Management; City and County of Honolulu, Department of Customer Services, Motor Vehicles, Licensing and Permitting Division; Nanawale Community Association Board of Directors; and eleven individuals.

Your Committee finds that there has been a rise in abandoned vehicles within the State, necessitating a large amount of funding for the counties to dispose of the abandoned vehicles. While charges and fines are levied against individuals who abandon their vehicles to offset the costs, there is no existing mechanism that requires the individuals to pay the charges within a reasonable timeframe, resulting in numerous outstanding cases within the State. This measure ensures that individuals against whom charges and fines are levied pay in a more timely manner.

Your Committee has amended this measure by 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 Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1413, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1413, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________

HENRY J.C. AQUINO, Chair