CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO.58-06

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2006

RE: H.B. No. 2422

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

C.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 2422, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HIGHWAY SAFETY,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this bill is to enhance pedestrian safety by:

(1) Establishing a three-tiered sentencing structure with graduated penalties for drivers who violate Hawaii's pedestrian crosswalk law; and

(2) Providing that persons subject to revocation of their license for failure to comply with Hawaii's pedestrian crosswalk law will not be required to show proof of financial responsibility pursuant to section 287-20, Hawaii Revised Statutes, while still permitting the court to set an appropriate amount to be paid by the defendant as proof of financial responsibility for the reinstatement of the defendant's privilege to operate a motor vehicle.

Your Committee on Conference finds that pedestrian fatalities and injuries continue to plague Hawaii's roadways. Many of these incidents occur when drivers fail to stop for pedestrians. Strengthening Hawaii's pedestrian crosswalk law through enhanced penalties will act as a deterrent to drivers who might not otherwise stop for pedestrians in crosswalks.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that a second failure to comply within one year of the date of a first failure to comply will result in a fine of not less than $300 and revocation of license and privilege to operate a vehicle for a period not less than 180 days;

(2) Changing the effective date from upon approval to January 1, 2007; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2422, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2422, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair

____________________________

JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Co-Chair

____________________________

COLLEEN HANABUSA, Co-Chair

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Co-Chair