STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3903

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 1413

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1413, H.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ABANDONED VEHICLES,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Authorize the Director of Finance of a county to require the payment of outstanding charges and fines relating to the disposition of an abandoned vehicle before issuing a certificate of registration or completing a transfer of ownership, except under certain circumstances; and

 

     (2)  Require a county Director of Finance to notify the appropriate county examiner of drivers of the individuals who have outstanding charges and fines owed to the county relating to the disposition of an abandoned vehicle for the purposes of suspending, revoking, or prohibiting the renewal of their driver's licenses.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Association of Counties, Hawaii Council of Mayors, County of Hawaii Department of Environmental Management, County of Maui Department of Environmental Management, Finance Department of the County of Kauai, one member of the Maui County Council, one member of the Kauai County Council, and seven individuals.

 

     Your Committees find that abandoned vehicles are a public safety hazard on public streets.  To address the dangers posed by abandoned vehicles, the counties tow and manage disposition of a high number of abandoned vehicles each year.  Operational funds expended per year per county vary but can average approximately $1,000,000 due to additional costs for vehicle cleanouts, special cleanups, and related costs.  This measure will make public roads safer by decreasing the number of abandoned vehicles and assisting the counties with recouping expenses of removing abandoned vehicles from public properties.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by inserting an effective date of July 30, 2075, to encourage further discussion.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1413, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1413, H.D. 2, S.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means,

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair

 

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair