STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1309

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 697

H.D. 2

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 Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Public Safety and Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 697, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Allow authorized employees of the Department of Transportation and Department of Law Enforcement, in addition to county police departments, to perform certain actions in reviewing recorded images produced by automated speed enforcement systems; and

(2) Appropriate funds to the Department of Transportation to establish and implement the Automated Speed Enforcement Systems Program.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Department of Law Enforcement, and one individual.

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

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Judiciary and ACLU of Hawaiʻi.

Your Committees find that the State is committed to reducing traffic related deaths and serious injuries. As such, the Department of Transportation is currently working to expand the current Automated Speed Enforcement Systems Program established in 2024. Your Committees further find that more resources and funding are necessary for the successful implementation of the Automated Speed Enforcement Systems Program. Therefore, this measure will alleviate potential staffing challenges and funding shortages by appropriating moneys and authorizing additional state employees to process citations.

Your Committees note the concerns raised by the Judiciary regarding the district courts and county law enforcement's ability to process the potential increased volume of citations. Your Committees further note the comments raised by the ACLU of Hawaiʻi regarding privacy concerns due to non-law enforcement involvement by the Department of Transportation.

Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Amending the definition of "reviewing entity" by removing authorized employees of the Department of Transportation;

(2) Increasing the minimum speed required for a citation from five miles per hour to seven miles per hour exceeding the maximum posted speed limit;

(3) Changing the appropriation funding source from the general revenues of the State of Hawaii to the State Highway Fund; and

(4) 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 Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Public Safety and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 697, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 697, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Public Safety and Military Affairs,

________________________________ BRANDON J.C. ELEFANTE, Chair

________________________________ CHRIS LEE, Chair