STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1618

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 926

S.D. 1

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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 926, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PEDESTRIANS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to allow pedestrians to act contrary to the statewide traffic code when a reasonably careful pedestrian would determine that there is no immediate danger of a collision with a moving vehicle.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Public Defender, Hawai‘i State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Hawai‘i Public Health Institute, Get Fit Kauai, and eight individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Transportation and Honolulu Police Department. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that, in many situations, a pedestrian's perception and judgment can be more effective in mitigating injuries than traffic lights or street markings. Your Committee further finds that this measure will give pedestrians more freedom in using their judgment to determine the safety conditions when facing vehicular traffic.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 926, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 926, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair