STAND. COM. REP. NO.934

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: S.B. No. 1514

S.D. 2

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 1514, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the police to compel drivers to take a blood or urine test, or both, to determine a person's drug content, and to amend the definition of "drug" to mean any chemical substance, natural or synthetic, that impairs the person's normal mental faculties or ability to care for the person and guard against casualty.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, City and County of Honolulu Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving. The Office of the Public Defender and Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America submitted testimony in opposition.

Your Committee finds that accidents as a result of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs continue to be a major concern in Hawaii. This measure would provide additional protection for Hawaii residents from the injury and harm such accidents may cause.

Your Committee has amended this measure to make technical, nonsubstantive changes.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1514, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1514, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

BRIAN KANNO, Chair