STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2004

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2266

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2266 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DRIVER LICENSING,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to require the Examiner of Drivers to design and implement a system to request information on an applicant's blood type to provide holders of a Hawaii drivers license with the opportunity to have blood type information included on their driver's license.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the City and County of Honolulu.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

      Time is of the essence when emergency medical staff are treating injuries of accident victims.  Your Committee finds that one way to save valuable time is to ensure that a person's blood type is known to rescuers and medical personnel as soon as possible.  Typing and cross matching blood ensures a safe match, but takes time and effort that may not be available in an active life saving situation.  Providing quick access to blood type information will help to ensure the delivery of swift and effective aid.

 

      Your Committee is aware of the need to prevent the chances of mistaken blood designations on driver's licenses.  In designing the system for providing blood types on driver's licenses, the Examiner of Drivers must fully address this concern.  Your Committee finds in this regard that the Examiner of Drivers has sufficient latitude to implement the necessary safeguards and procedures to ensure that the benefits of this measure are realized without compromising the safety of the public.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2266 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, International and Intergovernmental Affairs,

 

 

 

____________________________

J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair