CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 55

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2009

 

RE:    S.B. No. 281

       H.D. 1

       C.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Madam and Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 281, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATEWIDE TRAFFIC CODE,"

 

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

 

     The purpose of this measure is to allow the counties to prohibit or regulate the use of electric personal assistive mobility devices on sidewalks and bicycle paths.

 

     The intent of your Committee on Conference is to enhance the safety of pedestrian sidewalk and bicycle path traffic.  Your Committee finds that electric personal assistive mobility devices, also known as Segways, present unique problems to sidewalk pedestrian and bicycle path use which depends on the character of each neighborhood.  Each county is better able to judge for itself the permissible use of Segways on sidewalks and bicycle paths.  Your Committee also believes that this matter is a home-rule issue that should be delegated to the counties.

 

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the effective date to upon its approval; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 281, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 281, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

 

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

 

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

 

____________________________

JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Co-Chair

 

____________________________

J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair

____________________________

JON RIKI KARAMATSU, Co-Chair