STAND. COM. REP. NO. 908

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1216

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1216, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSES,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Add a requirement for certain commercial driver's license applicants to complete an entry-level driver training course before taking a skills test for licensure; and

 

     (2)  Exempt applicants holding a valid commercial learner's permit or commercial driver's license obtained prior to February 7, 2022.

 

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

 

     Your Committees find that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration can withhold funds from states that fail to implement the newly mandated federal requirements for additional entry-level training for certain commercial driver's license applicants.  Your Committees further note that approximately two-thirds of all states have already implemented this requirement.  Considering the exceptional penalties that would be assessed against the State for failure to comply, this measure is important to keep the State in compliance and to continue to receive the full apportioned amounts from the federal Highway Trust Fund.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1216, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1216, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means,

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair

 

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair