STAND. COM. REP. NO.100

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 313

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 313 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require children four years of age or older, but less than eight years old, and children under certain weight and height minimums to be properly secured in a child safety or booster seat in a motor vehicle.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Maui Police Department (MPD), Good Beginnings Alliance, Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, and State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company. Comments were received from the Department of Transportation and the Office of the Public Defender.

Existing law sets the maximum age at four years for a child to be transported in a child safety or booster seat while a motor vehicle is being operated. This measure raises the age to eight, except:

(1) If the child is under four, the child is properly restrained in a child passenger restraint system meeting federal motor vehicle safety standards; or

(2) If the child is four years old but less than eight years old, a child safety seat or a booster seat meeting federal motor vehicle safety standards must be used if the child is eighty pounds or less and four feet nine inches or less, with an exemption for a child over forty pounds riding in a vehicle equipped with only lap belts in the rear seat, without shoulder straps.

Your Committee notes the testimony of the MPD that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of non-intentional deaths for children in Hawaii. This measure serves to prevent injury and death to children by ensuring that they will be properly secured when riding in a motor vehicle.

This measure allows the use of booster seats, which can be purchased for less than twenty dollars. There are booster seats small enough to fit multiple boosters in smaller cars. Your Committee finds that booster seats, where allowed under this measure, are a beneficial alternative to safety seats that could save young lives.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 313 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs and Government Operations,

____________________________

CAL KAWAMOTO, Chair