STAND. COM. REP. NO. 280-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 2687
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B.
No. 2687 entitled: 

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to replace the term traffic
"accident" with the term traffic "collision".

     Your Committee finds that the term "accident" implies an
event occurring by chance or from unknown causes.  Your Committee
further finds that many traffic incidents have known causes and
do not occur by chance.  The term "collision" which means an act
or instance of colliding more accurately describes many of these
traffic incidents.

     This bill proposes to replace the term "accident" with the
term "collision".  This bill also deletes the requirement in
section 291C-13, Hawaii Revised Statutes(HRS), that the motor
vehicle crash result only in damage to a vehicle or other
property.

     Testimonies in support of this bill were received from the
Department of Transportation, Mother's Against Drunk Driving, the
Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of
Honolulu, and the Honolulu Police Department.  The Judiciary took
no position on this bill.


 
 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 280-00
                                 Page 2

 
     Your Committee has amended this bill by including an
amendment to section 291C-13, HRS, so that the charges incurred
when violating this section will also encompass human injury.

     Your Committee also requests that the Committee on Judiciary
and Hawaiian Affairs consider and make two amendments to the
bill:

     (1)  To include a definition of the term "collision".

     (2)  To delete the definition of the term "accident".

     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 H.B. No.
2687, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second
Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2687, H.D. 1, and
be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   KENNETH T. HIRAKI, Chair