STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3061

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 1753

       H.D. 3

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Transportation and Energy and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1753, H.D. 3, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MOPEDS,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Require the Director of Finance to issue moped number plates upon payment of the initial moped and bicycle registration fee;

 

     (2)  Provide penalties for the fraudulent use of moped number plates;

 

     (3)  Require all mopeds to be registered annually and be subject to a registration fee of $50 to be paid to the Director of Finance;

 

     (4)  Prohibit the use on public roadways of a moped that is not in good working order;

 

     (5)  Deem the registered owner or operator of a moped to be responsible for the failure to equip the moped as required by law; and

 

     (6)  Authorize a police officer at any time when the police officer has reasonable cause to believe that a vehicle or moped is unsafe or not equipped as required by law, to require the owner or driver of the vehicle or moped to submit the vehicle or moped to an inspection or make the necessary corrections or repairs.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Moped Noise Mitigation Working Group, Pearl City Neighborhood Board, Kailua Neighborhood Board, Mililani/Waipio/Melemanu Neighborhood Board No. 25, Diamond Head/Kapahulu/St. Louis Heights Neighborhood Board No. 5, and eleven individuals.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Transportation.

 

     Your Committees find that mopeds provide a cheaper alternative mode of transportation to driving a motor vehicle, and moped use continues to grow in popularity.  According to the City and County of Honolulu, the number of registered mopeds in Honolulu increased every year between 2006 and 2012.  With the increase in the use of mopeds, traffic safety concerns grow regarding these types of vehicles.  Your Committees further find that public safety on Hawaii's roadways is paramount and that requiring safety inspections for mopeds increases roadway safety.  Your Committees also find that the annual registration of mopeds would help to determine if mopeds are being inspected on an annual basis and would increase the safety of Hawaii's roadways.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting its contents and inserting S.B. No. 2736, S.D.1, a substantially similar measure that requires an annual registration fee, inspections, and number plates for mopeds, and requires all persons driving a moped to wear a safety helmet securely fastened with a chin strap;

 

     (2)  Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2030, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (3)  Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Transportation and Energy and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1753, H.D. 3, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1753, H.D. 3, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Transportation and Energy and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs,

 

________________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair

 

________________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair