STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3427

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1413

H.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Transportation and Government Operations, to which was referred H.B. No. 1413, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Allow the Director of Finance of a county to require payment of outstanding charges and fines owed to the county relating to the disposition of an abandoned vehicle within the county by the registered owner of the abandoned vehicle before issuing a certificate of registration or completing a transfer of ownership, except under certain circumstances; and

(2) Require the Director of Finance of a county to notify the appropriate county examiner of drivers of 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 Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the County of Maui Department of Environmental Management, County of Hawaii Department of Environmental Management, Department of Finance of the County of Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i Council of Mayors, Hawaii State Association of Counties, Maui Metropolitan Planning Organization, and eleven individuals.

Your Committees find that abandoned vehicles in Hawaii cost the State large amounts of money in disposal fees. Charges and fines are levied against individuals who abandon their vehicles to offset this cost, but there is no current mechanism that requires the individuals to pay the charges within a reasonable timeframe, resulting in numerous outstanding payments within the State. This measure prohibits the transfer of ownership of vehicles and the renewal of driver's licenses while an individual has an outstanding fine except under special circumstances, as well as authorizing the suspension or revocation of a license for having an outstanding fine.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Transportation and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1413, H.D. 2, and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Transportation and Government Operations,

________________________________ SHARON MORIWAKI, Chair

________________________________ CHRIS LEE, Chair