STAND. COM. REP. NO. 283

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 1319

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 1319 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE TRAFFIC CODE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to allow operators of bicycles, motorcycles, and mopeds to proceed through an intersection on a steady red signal during certain hours if the traffic signal is controlled by a vehicle detection device that is inoperative due to the size of composition of the bicycle, motorcycle, or moped.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Street Bikers United, Moped Doctors Inc., and twelve individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Honolulu Police Department.

Your Committee finds that some traffic signals controlled by vehicle detection devices are not able to detect bicycles, motorcycles, or mopeds due to their size and weight. This can create a dangerous environment for operators who are forced to either disregard the signal altogether or wait for another motor vehicle to trigger the traffic signal. Your Committee further finds that several states have already passed varying "dead red" laws, which allow operators to proceed through a red traffic signal if they fail to trigger the traffic signal sensor.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Further clarifying, based on the testimony of the Department of Transportation, the conditions for when a bicycle, motorcycle, or moped may proceed through an intersection through a steady red signal; and

(2) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, 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 H.B. No. 1319, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1319, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

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

____________________________

CHRIS TODD, Chair