STAND. COM. REP. NO.  53-22

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2022

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1691

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 1691 entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Lower the minimum age required for an intrastate commercial driver's license to eighteen years;

 

     (2)  Eliminate the requirements that certain persons be solely licensed to operate category 3 vehicles and that persons have certain certifications in order to be licensed as intrastate commercial drivers or obtain a learner's permit; and

 

     (3)  Require the Department of Transportation to adopt or amend its administrative rules to lower the minimum age required for a commercial driver's license to eighteen years.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Hawaii Food Industry Association, and Hawaii Transportation Association.

 

     Your Committee finds that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has established a program to train people who are eighteen years of age who are already licensed to drive commercial motor vehicles in intrastate commerce, to also drive in interstate commerce.  However, Hawaii's current laws preclude drivers from accessing that sort of program, as we are the only state that does not allow people who are eighteen years of age to operate category 4 vehicles and commercial motor vehicles in intrastate commerce.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1691, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1691, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair