STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1198

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 419

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred S.B. No. 419, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require each motor vehicle insurance policy to cover the replacement cost of a child passenger restraint system that was damaged or in use by a child during a covered motor vehicle accident.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that child passenger restraint systems play a critical role in protecting children during vehicle travel, but their safety can be compromised after a motor vehicle accident, even if there is no visible damage. Your Committee further finds that without insurance coverage for a replacement, many families may continue using potentially unsafe car seats, increasing the risk of serious injury in any future accident. This measure will ensure the safety of children and reduce the financial burden on families by requiring motor vehicle insurers to cover the replacement costs of damaged child passenger restraint systems.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 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 Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 419, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 419, S.D. 1, 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,

____________________________

DARIUS KILA, Chair