STAND. COM. REP. NO.644

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 460

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs, and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 460 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DUNE BUGGIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to include dune buggy replica vehicles within the special interest vehicle registration requirements, thereby removing such vehicles from the reconstructed vehicle registration law.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Volkswagen Club of Hawaii and a dune buggy enthusiast. The Department of Transportation submitted testimony in opposition to this measure.

Your Committee finds that since 1986, when Hawaii enacted its reconstructed vehicle registration law, owners of reconstructed vehicles have had to submit a certificate of safety from a qualified engineer in order to register their cars. "Special interest vehicles", defined by statute, are not subject to the same requirement.

Your Committee believes this has led to disparity in the treatment of dune buggy or kit car owners, and owners of other similar special interest vehicles. Specifically, it is much easier to register a special interest vehicle than a dune buggy or kit car, even though both are substantially similar in structural and mechanical integrity.

Your Committee sees no reason not to include dune buggies within the special interest vehicle registration laws, and therefore supports this measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs, and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 460 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs, and Government Operations,

____________________________

CAL KAWAMOTO, Chair