STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2970

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2735

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2735 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DRIVER LICENSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require driver's license examinations to test the applicant's knowledge of the dangers that larger motor vehicles present to pedestrians; and

(2) Require offenders who are found to be excessively speeding or driving while intoxicated to retake and pass the driver's license examination for each offense.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation and Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Your Committee finds that educating new drivers about the potential hazards of driving a larger motor vehicle will improve pedestrian safety. Additionally, the inconvenience of having to retake the driver licensing exam will deter irresponsible driving. This measure will reduce motor vehicle fatalities and injuries, improve pedestrian safety, and deter dangerous driving behaviors.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language requiring the examination required by the examiner of drivers for every applicant for a driver's license to include a test of the applicant's knowledge of the dangers that large vehicles, including trucks, pose to bicyclists;

(2) Clarifying that any person convicted of habitually operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant is required to retake and pass a driver's license examination as provided in section 286-108, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

(3) Inserting a savings clause;

(4) Amending section 1 to reflect its amended purpose; and

(5) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

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. 2735, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2735, S.D. 1.

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

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KARL RHOADS, Chair