STAND. COM. REP. 802

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 1496

H.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 1496, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to limit loud motor vehicle back-up beeper noises by:

(1) Providing drivers with the option of turning off audible reverse warning systems between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., provided that the vehicle is guided by another person who is positioned behind the vehicle with a clear view of both the vehicle's rearward path and the driver; and

(2) Requiring that any switch permitting the audible reverse warning system to be manually disengaged shall automatically turn off after a fixed period of time as specified by rule and automatically re-engage the audible reverse warning system.

One individual testified in support of this bill. The Department of Transportation and Honolulu Police Department supported the intent of this bill.

Your Committee believes that for safety reasons, a disengaged audible reverse warning system should automatically re-engage after a fixed period of time set by administrative rules.

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1) Requiring the "fixed period of time" after which the audible reverse warning system shall automatically re-engage to be specified in the administrative rules;

(2) Requiring rather than authorizing the Department of Transportation to adopt rules; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for purposes of style and clarity.

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. 1496, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1496, H.D. 2.

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

 

____________________________

ERIC G. HAMAKAWA, Chair