STAND. COM. REP. NO. 791-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 2247

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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2247 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO OPERATING A VEHICLE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF AN INTOXICANT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Amend the driver's license revocation period for first time offenders convicted of operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant to no less than one year and no more than eighteen months;

(2) Allow early termination of driver's license revocation for first time offenders convicted of operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant; and

(3) Require the maximum license revocation period for people who are convicted of operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant and do not own or have a vehicle or are unable to drive.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu, Hawai‘i Police Department, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving Hawaii Advisory Board. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Judiciary and Smart Start LLC, Hawaii Corporate Office.

Your Committee finds that an ignition interlock device is often the first line of defense in preventing a person who is under the influence of an intoxicant from operating a vehicle. Your Committee further finds that allowing the early termination of a driver's license revocation for offenders who have been convicted of operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant and install and use an ignition interlock device will incentivize use of these devices and reduce the number of intoxicated drivers on the road, making Hawaii's roads safer for everyone.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring any person whose driver's license has been administratively revoked or who has been convicted of offenses involving operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant to provide proof of compliance with the ignition interlock law to be eligible for a driver's license, unless an unspecified amount of time has passed since the expiration of the license revocation period; and

(2) 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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2247, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2247, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair