STAND. COM. REP. NO. 897

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1096

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 1096 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LICENSE PLATES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Prohibit the operation of a motor vehicle with, possess, purchase, install, sell, offer for sale, or distribute license plate flipping devices; and

(2) Establish a $2,000 fine for each separate violation.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Department of Transportation, Honolulu Police Department, and one individual.

Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committees find that license plate flipping devices can be installed on motor vehicles to switch between multiple license plates or hide a license plate from view, preventing proper vehicle identification and allowing drivers to evade recognition. These devices endanger public safety by obscuring those sought by law enforcement, thereby facilitating emboldened criminal activity. This measure will protect the public by prohibiting the use of license plate flipping devices and establishing penalties.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1096, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1096, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Judiciary,

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair

________________________________ JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair