STAND. COM. REP. NO. 55

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: S.B. No. 74

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 74 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to allow persons who are at least eighteen years of age to be licensed as commercial drivers to drive within the State.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Resources Development, Hawaii Transportation Association (HTA), and SuperStar. Testimony in opposition was received from the Department of Transportation.

The intent of this measure is to address the shortage of commercial drivers in Hawaii. This comes at a time when economic activity is increasing, much of which requires the movement of goods by trucks. However, there are not enough commercial drivers.

The current age required to receive a commercial driver's license is twenty-one. Your Committee finds that this measure would increase the pool of qualified commercial drivers by lowering the age to eighteen. Your Committee is keenly aware that lowering the age may not solve the problem of the shortage of drivers. However, this measure is a step in the right direction. Your Committee notes that federal law permits commercial drivers to be licensed at age eighteen to drive intrastate. According to testimony of the HTA, most states permit eighteen year olds to be licensed as commercial drivers to drive intrastate.

Your Committee believes that increasing the eligible pool of commercial drivers will increase demand for commercial driving schools and other instructional programs to enable the licensing of more commercial drivers. High school seniors would be more inclined to consider commercial driving as a career if the license eligibility age were eighteen.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 74 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Housing.

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

____________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair