HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

901

TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT VEHICLES.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  Section 291-31.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

     "(a)  No person shall knowingly operate, affix or cause to be affixed, display, or possess any lamp, reflector, or illumination device that appears to be the color blue, or colors blue and red, upon any motor vehicle, motorcycle, motor scooter, bicycle, or moped except for:

     (1)  County law enforcement vehicles authorized and approved by the chief of police of the county in which the vehicle is operated;

     (2)  Department of public safety law enforcement vehicles with blue and red lamps, reflectors, or illumination devices authorized and approved by the director of public safety; [or]

     (3)  Department of land and natural resources division of conservation and resources enforcement vehicles with blue and red lamps, reflectors, or illumination devices authorized and approved by the chairperson of the board of land and natural resources[.];

     (4)  Department of the attorney general law enforcement vehicles with blue and red lamps, reflectors, or illumination devices authorized and approved by the attorney general; or

     (5)  Department of transportation division of harbors law enforcement vehicles with blue and red lamps, reflectors, or illumination devices authorized and approved by the director of transportation.

This prohibition shall not apply to factory-installed instrument illumination.

     (b)  Any violation of this section shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $1,000, or by imprisonment not exceeding one year, or both."

     SECTION 2.  Section 291C-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending the definition of "authorized emergency vehicle" to read as follows:

     ""Authorized emergency vehicle" includes fire department vehicles, police vehicles, ambulances, ocean safety vehicles, public safety law enforcement vehicles, [and] conservation and resources enforcement vehicles, attorney general law enforcement vehicles, and department of transportation division of harbors  law enforcement vehicles authorized and approved pursuant to section 291-31.5 that are publicly owned and other publicly or privately owned vehicles designated as such by a county council."

     SECTION 3.  This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun, before the effective date of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

BY REQUEST


 


 

Report Title:

Law Enforcement Vehicles

 

Description:

Allows the Department of the Attorney General and the Harbors Division of the Department of Transportation to have law enforcement vehicles, with lights and sirens, that are recognized authorized emergency vehicles.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.