STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2692

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3312

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred S.B. No. 3312 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE PHOTO RED LIGHT IMAGING DETECTOR SYSTEMS PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Make clarifying amendments to chapter 291J, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to reflect legislative intent, including the repeal or change of certain defenses to violations of the photo red light imaging detector systems program; and

(2) Amend the appropriation made pursuant to Act 133, Session Laws of Hawaii 2021, to account for the photo red light imaging detector systems program's current timetable.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, City and County of Honolulu Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, Honolulu Police Department, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that there is a prevalence of drivers who run red lights and thereby endanger the lives of other motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, and other vulnerable road users. In recent years, it has become common to hear reports of hit-and-run drivers who have struck children or the elderly on Hawaii's roads and highways. Disregard for traffic signals has also been the common denominator in many recent, highly-publicized motor vehicle crashes that have claimed numerous lives.

To address systemic issues regarding drivers who disregard traffic signals, the Legislature initially passed Act 234, Session Laws of Hawaii 1998 (Act 234), to implement a photo speed imaging detector system. Across the United States, photo red light imaging detectors are shown to be safe, quick, cost-effective, and efficient as no traffic stop is involved and a police officer is not at risk from passing traffic or armed violators. Implementation of photo red light imaging systems not only create safer streets, but police officers are also freed from time consuming duties of traffic enforcement and have more time to respond to priority calls. Imaging systems also allow for impartial enforcement of traffic laws. Despite many benefits to the implementation of red light systems, public opposition to the method of implementing the photo speed imaging detector systems program forced the State to repeal Act 234 in its entirety.

Since the enactment and repeal of Act 234, red light traffic violations continue to create hazards for users of Hawaii's roads and highways. To address ongoing issues related to red light violations, the Legislature enacted Act 30, Session Laws of Hawaii 2020, and Act 133, Session Laws of Hawaii 2021, to develop and implement a photo red light imaging detector systems program. In 2019, the Department of Transportation also convened a multi-agency red light running committee to anticipate any legal or procedural challenges, and to prepare for the upcoming red light imaging program, which is scheduled to begin in 2022. Despite some delays in the implementation of the photo red light system program, this measure clarifies the legislative intent of the photo red light system program to align with the program's current timetable.

Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

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. 3312, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3312, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means.

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

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CHRIS LEE, Chair