STAND. COM. REP. NO. 722

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: S.B. No. 1362

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 1362 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Department of Transportation (DOT) to tow and dispose of abandoned vehicles.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Housing and Community Development Corporation of Hawaii (HCDCH), the Mayor of Maui, a Maui County Council member, Gentry Homes Ltd., and five individuals. Testimony in opposition was received from the Department of Transportation.

Current law permits the counties to tow and dispose of abandoned vehicles. This measure would confer that same authority upon the DOT. Although testimony indicated that the counties willingly remove abandoned vehicles, your Committee finds that this measure would enhance the ability of government to remove abandoned vehicles if the DOT had the same authority.

Your Committee has amended this measure on the recommendation of the HCDCH by conferring similar authority upon the DOT and the counties to remove abandoned vehicles on private roads pending their dedication to the State or county and defining an abandoned vehicle for this purpose.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1362, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1362, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair