STAND. COM. REP. NO. 802-04

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: S.B. No. 2021

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred S.B. No. 2021, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STREET ROD VEHICLES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to allow owners of special interest vehicles to legally operate their vehicles on Oahu. Specifically, this bill expands the definitions of "street rod vehicle" and "street rod replica vehicle" to include vehicles manufactured before 1968 or manufactured after 1968 to resemble a vehicle manufactured before 1968.

Mr. Sandman Inc., Security Alarm Shop, Kaimuki ACE Hardware, Fred's Auto Top Shop, Inc., and numerous concerned individuals testified in support of this bill. The Department of Transportation (DOT) supported the intent of this measure. The Department of Customer Services of the City and County of Honolulu commented on this bill.

Current law does not allow any resident of the City and County of Honolulu to register a vehicle that is a "street rod" or "street rod replica vehicle" manufactured between 1949 and 1967, or to register a "dune buggy replica vehicle." Other counties throughout the State are exempted from this law. Your Committee notes that replica vehicle owners are generally professionals who

are contributing members of society and often invest thousands of dollars in their vehicles only to be denied the ability to register their vehicles and drive them legally on Oahu's streets.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1) Including "dune buggy replica vehicles" as vehicles encompassed under the Special Interest Vehicle Law;

(2) Establishing registration standards for "dune buggy replica vehicles";

(3) Requiring seatbelts for "dune buggy replica vehicles";

(4) Limiting the number of vehicle identification numbers for "street rods," "street rod replica vehicles," and "dune buggy replica vehicles" issued by the Director of Finance of the county in which the vehicle resides to 100 annually per vehicle type; and

(5) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

Your Committee notes that owners of "dune buggy replica vehicles" also face difficulty in registering their vehicles due to registration requirements implemented under the reconstructed vehicle law, which requires that their vehicles be subject to inspection by an automotive engineering specialist. Since no such individual exists in Hawaii, registration of their vehicles is almost impossible and your Committee urges DOT to assist these vehicle owners in this matter.

Your Committee also has concerns that commercial operations may have the ability to purchase a substantial number of "kit cars" and rent these vehicles to the general public. It is not the intent of your Committee on Transportation for this measure to be used for such a purpose and respectfully requests the Committee on Judiciary to study this matter further.

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. 2021, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2021, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

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

 

____________________________

JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Chair