STAND. COM. REP. NO. 45

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1630

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1630 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Require the wearing of safety glasses, goggles, or a face shield by a moped operator, and requiring the renter or lessor of a moped to provide the protective devices equipment;

 

     (2)  Require the wearing of a safety helmet by persons intending to operate a moped or motor scooter;

 

     (3)  Remove the requirement that minors wear helmets when operating or riding on motorcycles; and

 

     (4)  Prohibit a three-wheeled moped from operating in a bicycle lane or bicycle lane.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Department of Health, MADD, and State Farm.  Testimony in opposition was received from one individual.  Testimony in opposition was received from Street Bikers United.

 

     Your Committee finds that operators of mopeds should be required to wear safety glasses, goggles, or a face shield, and other protective devices, as is currently required of operators of motorcycles and motor scooters that are not equipped with windscreens or windshields.  Your Committee further finds it is necessary for operators of motorcycles, mopeds, and motor scooters wear a safety helmet.  Your Committee believes that wearing a helmet for protection from cranial injuries, irrespective of the skill level of the operator, is a matter of public health.  It is your Committee's obligation to protect the public health and safety.

 

     Your Committee further finds that prohibiting three-wheeled mopeds from being driven on bicycle paths and lanes makes sound sense, given the narrowness of bicycle lanes and paths.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by retaining the existing requirement that minors that operate or ride on a motorcycle wear helmets and by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1630, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1630, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Government Operations.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs,

 

 

 

____________________________

J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair