STAND. COM. REP. NO.  964

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

 

RE:   S.B. No. 871

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred S.B. No. 871, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HIGHWAY SAFETY,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to facilitate the ability of foreign individuals to operate a motor vehicle in Hawaii by providing for driver licensing reciprocity with other countries.  Specifically, this measure:

 

     (1)  Allows a nonresident operator of a motor vehicle, who holds a current and valid license and international driving permit to operate a motor vehicle in the country in which the nonresident operator resides, to obtain a Hawaii driver's license to operate a car or truck, if certain conditions are met; and

 

     (2)  Repeals the Driver's License Reciprocity Committee established under section 286-11, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

 

     The Department of Transportation testified in support of the intent of this measure.
     The ability to drive adds to a person's quality of life.  Your Committee finds that this measure facilitates the ability of foreign individuals to drive in Hawaii by providing driver's license reciprocity with foreign countries under specified conditions.  Your Committee further finds that the existing Driver's License Reciprocity Committee is cumbersome, costly, and complicated to administer.  As a result, it has never been used since its enactment by Act 314, Session Laws of Hawaii 2012, despite public interest in driver's license reciprocity.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Authorizing the examiner of drivers to waive the actual demonstration of an individual's ability to operate a motor vehicle as a licensure requirement in instances where the individual holds a license from a country to which the Director of Transportation has granted reciprocal licensing privileges; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 871, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 871, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

HENRY J.C. AQUINO, Chair