STAND. COM. REP. NO.  76

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2021

 

RE:   H.B. No. 159

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 159 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Require a motor vehicle transferor, or their representative, and transferee to appear in person to execute the transfer of a motor vehicle; and

 

     (2)  Subject motor vehicle transferors to certain fees previously assessed on motor vehicle transferees.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the City and County of Honolulu Department of Customer Services, Hawaii State Association of Counties, one member of The Kauai County Council, and one individual.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Insurers Council; Insurance Auto Auctions, Inc.; Copart, Inc.; and American Property Casualty Insurance Association.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from Enterprise Holdings.

 

     Your Committee finds that buyers and sellers of used motor vehicles often provide false, illegible, or unusable contact information, which causes discrepancies in records kept by the counties as some motor vehicle registration records do not match the actual owner of the motor vehicle.  This measure will assist the counties in keeping accurate and current records of vehicle transfers.

 

     Your Committee notes the numerous testifiers who have expressed their concerns that for certain companies, such as insurance and motor vehicle rental companies, this measure would create an inefficient and unrealistic burden on companies who sell a large quantity of motor vehicles.

 

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Providing for exceptions to the requirement of appearing in person before a clerk at a county department of motor vehicle for certain entities;

 

     (2)  Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of 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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 159, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 159, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

HENRY J.C. AQUINO, Chair