STAND. COM. REP. NO. 305

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 434

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred S.B. No. 434 entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to allow the counties to require payment of outstanding charges or fees owed to the county for the towing, removal, or disposal of an abandoned or derelict vehicle.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii County Department of Environmental Management, Maui County Department of Environmental Management, County of Kauai Police Department, Hawaii State Association of Counties, and one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from Enterprise Holdings.

 

     Your Committee finds that the counties expend a great deal of resources to tow and dispose of abandoned or derelict vehicles.  Exiting law only allows for the counties to charge the towing fee for these vehicles to the registered owners, and only when the vehicles are claimed.  Frequently, these abandoned or derelict vehicles are not claimed, leaving the counties with no recourse to recoup their costs.  This measure will provide counties the ability to recoup costs for towing and disposing of abandoned and derelict vehicles.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by providing an exemption for registered owners who have had their vehicle taken without their permission or authorization and who have filed a police report.

 

     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 S.B. No. 434, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 434, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair