STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1758

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

 

RE:   H.R. No. 182

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.R. No. 182 entitled:

 

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE EXAMINER OF DRIVERS TO MAKE FINDINGS OF REASONABLE CAUSE OF INCOMPETENCE BASED UPON REPORTS OF VARIOUS PROFESSIONALS OR PEOPLE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this resolution is to promote traffic safety by requesting the examiner of drivers of each county to consider reports of various professionals or people while making a finding of reasonable cause of incompetence when considering suspending a driver's license.

 

     The Occupational Therapy Association of Hawaii testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Customer Services of the City and County of Honolulu (DCS) testified in support of the intent of this measure.

 

     The ability to drive is one of the highest levels of independence for anyone to achieve.  Loss of this privilege means a person must depend on others to transport them from place to place and often results in a person who has lost their physical or cognitive ability to safely operate a motor vehicle to continue to operate a motor vehicle on public roads.  This creates a public hazard for all of Hawaii's motorists and pedestrians.

 

However, your Committee understands the concerns raised by DCS that the state Department of Transportation should also be involved in this decision making process.  Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Requesting the Director of Transportation, in coordination with the medical advisory board and county examiner of drivers, to adopt appropriate rules or submit any necessary legislation with recommended statutory amendments to implement the intent of this measure; and

 

(2)  Requiring that a certified copy of this resolution be transmitted to the Director of Transportation.

 

     Technical, nonsubstantive amendments were also made for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 182, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Judiciary in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 182, H.D. 1.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Chair