STAND. COM. REP. NO. 958-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: S.B. No. 2725
                                     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 S.B.
No. 2725 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TOWING COMPANIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to require all towing companies
to have the proper identifications on the doors of their tow
trucks at all times.

     Your Committee finds, that currently, tow trucks are
required to have signs with their business address and telephone
number only when conducting business.  Your Committee further
finds that unmarked tow trucks have been used to steal vehicles.

     This bill requires towing companies to have signage on both
doors, with the name and telephone number of the tow business, on
all of their tow trucks, at all times.

     Testimonies in support of this bill were received from the
Hawaii State Towing Association, Affordable Towing and Recovery
Service, a council member of the Honolulu City Council, and
Island Wide Towing.  Testimony in opposition to this bill was
received from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.


 
 
 
 
 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 958-00
                                 Page 2

 
     Your Committee has amended this bill by deleting its
substance and inserting the contents of H.B. No. 2906, H.D. 1, a
similar bill which passed the House after public hearings before
this Committee and your Committee on Consumer Protection and
Commerce.  As amended, this bill requires all commercial tow
trucks to have permanently affixed signs pursuant to the
Statewide Traffic Code, Chapter 291C, HRS.  

     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.
2725, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second
Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2725, H.D. 1, and
be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   KENNETH T. HIRAKI, Chair