STAND. COM. REP. NO. 16

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 828

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Transportation and International Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 828 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HELMET USE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the use of helmets when operating or riding as a passenger on bicycles, mopeds, and motorcycles.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Department of Transportation, State Department of Health, City and County of Honolulu Police Department, The Queen's Medical Center, the Injury Prevention Advisory Committee, Mother's Against Drunk Driving HAWAII, Brain Injury Association of Hawaii, and five individuals.  Testimony in opposition to this measure was received from Street Bikers United and five individuals.  Comments on this measure were received from one individual.

 

     Your Committee finds that medical research convincingly demonstrates that helmets worn by individuals while operating or riding motorcycles, mopeds, bicycles, motor scooters, and all-terrain vehicles save lives and reduce the severity of head injury in crashes.  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, operating a motorcycle or motor scooter without a helmet increases the likelihood of suffering a fatal head injury by forty percent.

 

     Your Committee further finds that wearing a safety helmet is the single most effective way to prevent head injuries resulting from motorcycle and motor scooter crashes.  Head injuries are a leading cause of death in those crashes.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Adding a requirement for helmet use by operators and passengers of all-terrain vehicles (Senate Bill No. 152) and motor scooters;

 

     (2)  Dividing the measure into six parts and adding a purpose section to each part; and

 

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purpose of clarity.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and International Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 828, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 828, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair