CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 67

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2021

 

RE:    S.B. No. 615

       S.D. 1

       H.D. 2

       C.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sirs:

 

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 615, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RENTALS OF MOPEDS AND MOTOR SCOOTERS,"

 

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 measure is to:

 

     (1)  Require all moped and motor scooter rental companies to ensure the rider wears a safety helmet supplied either by the company or the renter, except for riders with a motorcycle license;

 

     (2)  Prohibit the rental of any moped or motor scooter that is not equipped with a flag or any moped or scooter with aftermarket modifications; and

 

     (3)  Amend the definition of "motor scooter" under the Hawaii Highway Safety Act and the Statewide Traffic Code.

 

     Your Committee on Conference finds that from 2016 to 2018, there were twenty-three motor scooter and moped operator fatalities, and of the twenty-three fatalities, twenty-two operators were not wearing helmets.  Wearing a helmet while operating a moped, powered scooter, or other motorized cycle decreases fatalities and serious injuries.  Your Committee on Conference notes that according to the Hawaii Injury Prevention Plan for 2012-2017, published by the Department of Health and the Emergency Services and Injury Prevention System Branch, properly worn helmets can reduce the risk of death by forty-two percent and the risk of a head injury by sixty-nine percent.  This measure will reduce fatal moped or motor scooter accidents by requiring most riders to wear a helmet.

 

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying the requirements related to safety flags for rental mopeds or motor scooters;

 

     (2)  Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2021; and

 

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

 

     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 S.B. No. 615, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 615, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.


 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

 

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

 

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

 

____________________________

HENRY J.C. AQUINO

Co-Chair

 

____________________________

CHRIS LEE

Chair

____________________________

LISA KITAGAWA

Co-Chair

 

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER

Co-Chair

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA

Co-Chair