CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO.68

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: H.B. No. 135

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

C.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 135, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY,"

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 bill is to:

    1. Require drivers to place passengers, who are under 8 years old and weigh less than 80 pounds, in a child passenger restraint system; provided that:
    2. (A) If a vehicle is equipped only with lap seat belts, a booster seat will only be required for a child who is under 8 years old and weighs less than 60 pounds; and

      (B) If the child is at least 4 years old, the child must be properly restrained in a booster seat or child safety seat;

    3. Require children who are between 7 and 15 years old to use seat belts; and
    4. Prohibits the operator of a pickup truck to operate the vehicle with any passenger who is 17 years old or younger, in the bed or load-carrying area of the vehicle.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this bill by:

(1) Prohibiting drivers from transporting passengers, who are under 8 years old, unless:

(A) A child who is under 4 years old is properly restrained in a child passenger restraint system; and

(B) A child who is 4 years old but less than 8 years old and under 80 pounds, is properly restrained in a child safety seat or booster seat; provided that children over 60 pounds are exempt from this requirement if the vehicle is equipped with only lap belts in the rear seat, without shoulder straps;

(2) Require children who are between 8 and 14 years old to use seatbelts;

(3) Deleting the provision increasing the age limitation for passengers riding in the back of pickup trucks; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of style and clarity.

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 H.B. No. 135, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 135, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________

CAL KAWAMOTO, Chair

____________________________

JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Co-Chair

____________________________

BRIAN KANNO, Co-Chair

____________________________

ERIC G. HAMAKAWA, Co-Chair