STAND. COM. REP. 273

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 795

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 795 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STATEWIDE TRAFFIC CODE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to make the penalty for operating a moped without a driver's license consistent with the penalty for operating a motor vehicle without a driver's license.

The Department of Transportation and Honolulu Police Department testified in support of this measure. The Office of the Public Defender testified in opposition to this measure.

Current law requires that an operator of a moped possess a driver's license in the category of motor scooter or motor vehicle. Although an operator of a moped is required to possess a driver's license, a moped is neither a motor scooter or motor vehicle as defined by law and thus, the operator of a moped is not subject to the same penalties set forth for operators of motor vehicles. This measure attempts to rectify this situation.

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 H.B. No. 795 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation,

 

____________________________

JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Chair