STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1592

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  H.B. No. 1636
                                        H.D. 2
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No.
1636, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to improve traffic enforcement
and reduce traffic congestion.

     In particular, this bill amends the photo red light imaging
and photo speed imaging detector demonstration project
established in Act 234, Session Laws of Hawaii 1998, by including
other photo technology systems to improve traffic enforcement by
producing photographic identification of a vehicle which crosses
longitudinal traffic lane markings.

     Your Committee agrees with the intent of this bill, and
finds that there is a need to reduce traffic congestion on
Hawaii's roads through the stricter enforcement of traffic
control laws, particularly on controlled access facilities such
as the H-1 freeway on Oahu.  Allowing for the use of other photo
technologies, such as hand-held or mounted video cameras,
conventional cameras, and digital cameras, will help to enforce
the State's traffic laws and reduce traffic congestion.


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1592
                                   Page 2


     Your Committee further finds that vehicles that illegally
cross certain longitudinal traffic lane markings may create
hazardous driving situations that slow down traffic.  However,
under current law, police officers in these instances are
required to pull over violators and hand them a ticket.  Your
Committee finds this requirement to be both counterproductive and
extremely dangerous on the freeway.  Your Committee therefore
agrees that the traffic code should be amended to allow for the
mailing of traffic citations to violators on access control roads
to provide for greater enforcement of the traffic laws, reduce
the potential for accidents, and speed up traffic flow.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No.
1636, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   AVERY B. CHUMBLEY, Co-Chair



                                   ______________________________
                                   MATTHEW M. MATSUNAGA, Co-Chair

 
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