STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1160

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 277

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 H.B. No. 277, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VEHICULAR PURSUIT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a vehicle pursuit policy for law enforcement agencies.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaiʻi and Policing Project at NYU School of Law. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Law Enforcement; Honolulu Police Department; and State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General; Office of Information Practices; and Law Enforcement Standards Board.

Your Committee finds that although sometimes necessary, law enforcement vehicle pursuits can be dangerous, posing risks of serious injury or death to members of the public and law enforcement officers. Establishing statewide vehicular pursuit policies for state and county law enforcement agencies will ensure that law enforcement officers are only engaging in pursuits when necessary and when the public safety benefits of the pursuits outweigh the risks.

Your Committee has amended this measure by 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 H.B. No. 277, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 277, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair