STAND. COM. REP. NO.1481

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: H.B. No. 123

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 123, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SPEEDING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purposes of this measure are to establish fines for motorists who drive their motor vehicles at speeds greater than the maximum speed limit in school zones and construction areas, and to set the maximum speed limit in school zones at fifteen miles per hour.

Your Committee received written testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation and the Honolulu Police Department.

Your Committee finds that persons in construction areas and school zones are at a particularly high risk of being struck by passing motor vehicles. Construction work often requires that workers place themselves very near or even within lanes of traffic, where the slightest mishap or inattention on the part of a driver can have disastrous consequences.

This measure also establishes higher fines for speeding within school zones, where the presence of children requires that drivers operate their vehicles with special care. Children are more likely than adults to be unaware of the hazards of being struck by several tons of moving metal, and so the onus should be on drivers to pay extra attention when children are present. Therefore, your Committee also supports lowering the speed limit in school zones to fifteen miles per hour. Although traffic in school zones may be affected, your Committee believes that the State should do everything possible to protect our children.

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. 123, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

BRIAN KANNO, Chair