STAND. COM. REP. NO.2779

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: S.B. No. 2334

S.D. 2

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 2334, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TOWING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to increase statutorily authorized fees charged by towing companies for storage and to require towing companies to provide payment options, including cash, credit card, and automated teller machines for vehicle owners to make payments to the towing company.

Your Committee received testimony in support of the measure from the Hawaii State Towing Association. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to the measure from the Hawaii Insurers Council. The Office of Consumer Protection submitted testimony in opposition to fee increases but in support of payment options for vehicle owners.

Your Committee finds that towing companies assert that they incur additional costs from the towing and storage of vehicles that are not immediately removed from their premises. However, your Committee notes that towing fees, mileage charges, and surcharges were all increased pursuant to Act 7, Session Laws of Hawaii 2001. Upon further consideration, your Committee believes that it must balance increasing fees for towing companies with adversely impacting consumers, and finds that an increase in storage fees is unwarranted at this time.

Thus, your Committee has amended the measure by:

(1) Deleting the proposed increase in storage fees; and

(2) Requiring that the towing company maintain all equipment necessary to accommodate payments using any of the three payment options.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2334, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2334, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

RON MENOR, Chair