STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1624

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

 

RE:   S.B. No. 871

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 3

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 871, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to facilitate the operation of motor vehicles in Hawaii by persons from other countries by providing reciprocal licensing privileges.

 

     Specifically, the measure:

 

     (1)  Allows a nonresident who holds a current and valid driver's license and permit in another country to operate passenger cars or trucks in Hawaii without being required to obtain a Hawaii driver's license, under certain conditions;

 

     (2)  Authorizes the Examiner of Drivers to waive the actual demonstration of ability to operate a motor vehicle for any person to whom the Director of Transportation has granted reciprocal licensing privileges; and

 

     (3)  Repeals the Driver's License Reciprocity Committee.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying that the measure authorizes the Director of Transportation to establish reciprocal licensing privileges for any person eighteen years of age or older who holds a license from another jurisdiction, under certain conditions, thereby allowing the Examiner of Drivers to waive the actual demonstration of ability to operate a motor vehicle;

 

     (2)  Removing references to international driver's licenses and nonresidents;

 

     (3)  Removing language relating to the Director of Transportation entering into written agreements with foreign countries;

 

     (4)  Limiting the waiver of the actual demonstration of ability to operate a motor vehicle to persons eighteen years of age or older and to the operation of vehicles in category 3 under section 286-102, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

 

     (5)  Authorizing the Director of Transportation to require an applicant for reciprocal licensing privileges to provide translation of the license and documents from the other jurisdiction if the license and documents are in languages other than Hawaiian or English;

 

     (6)  Clarifying that the Examiner of Drivers' record check includes a check of the applicant's driving record as maintained by the applicant's jurisdiction of licensure;

 

     (7)  Amending the purpose section of the measure to reflect the changes made to its substantive provisions;

 

     (8)  Changing the effective date to March 15, 2038, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

 

     (9)  Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 871, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 871, S.D. 1, H.D. 3.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair