STAND. COM. REP. NO. 86-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 1577

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 1577 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLE TOWING FEES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize tow operators to charge additional reasonable amounts for overturned vehicles.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Office of Consumer Protection.

Your Committee finds that overturned vehicles can pose an additional challenge for towing companies and that these companies should be allowed to charge an additional amount as compensation. However, your Committee also finds that consumers should not be surprised with an unknown additional charge when faced with a situation where their vehicle has overturned.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an undefined maximum amount that may be charged by a tow company for the towing of an overturned vehicle, rather than leaving the determination of what constitutes a reasonable amount to be charged up to each tow company;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, if it chooses to deliberate on this measure, to solicit additional stakeholder input in considering what is a reasonable maximum amount that may be charged by a tow company for the towing of an overturned vehicle.

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. 1577, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1577, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________

CHRIS TODD, Chair