STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 1771
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2025
RE: S.B. No. 1216
S.D. 1
H.D. 2
Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-Third State Legislature
Regular Session of 2025
State of Hawaii
Madame:
Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1216, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to:
(1) Condition the issuance of a certificate of inspection upon a vehicle not being equipped with a noisy muffler or exhaust system;
(2) Require rules regarding safety check inspections to ensure that a motorcycle, moped, or motor vehicle is not equipped with a noisy muffler or exhaust system;
(3) Suspend, revoke, or refuse renewal of a permit for an official inspection station upon a third or subsequent willful violation of any rule within a certain period of time regarding inspecting a noisy muffler or exhaust system;
(4) Increase all fines relating to motor vehicle muffler violations by $50;
(5) Exempt motorcycles and mopeds that do not exceed United States Environmental Protection Agency regulations under title 40, Code of Federal Regulations section 205.152; and
(6) Include repairing or installing a noisy muffler or exhaust system as a prohibited practice for motor vehicle repair laws.
Your Committee finds that excessive noise from mufflers and exhaust systems disturbs communities and negatively impacts the quality of life of many Hawaii residents. This measure helps deter the use of vehicles with noisy mufflers or exhaust systems by establishing certain inspection requirements to ensure vehicles are not equipped with these systems and increasing fines and penalties.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Clarifying that any violation not preceded within a three-year period for a violation shall be subject to a fine of no more than $150;
(2) Clarifying that a violation for a third or subsequent offense committed within three years, rather than within five years, of any other violation shall be subject to a fine of no more than $950; and
(3) 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. 1216, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1216, S.D. 1, H.D. 2.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,
|
|
|
____________________________ DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair |
|
|
|
|