STAND. COM. REP. NO. 729

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 346

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 346, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to make it discretionary for authorized emergency vehicles to use sirens when responding to an emergency or in other specified situations if the siren is not reasonably necessary under the circumstances.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers, Liliuokalani Gardens Association of Apartment Owners, and three individuals.

Your Committee finds that providing emergency responders with the flexibility to use their sirens in certain situations will alleviate noise pollution; decrease any unnecessary disturbance of citizens, especially in high-density residential areas at night when the streets are empty of cars and pedestrians; and curb unnecessary traffic situations and panic.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 346, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

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KARL RHOADS, Chair