STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3442

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 2004

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 2004, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILD PASSENGER RESTRAINTS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to improve the safety of child passengers in vehicles by:

 

     (1)  Increasing the age for which child passenger restraints are required;

 

     (2)  Requiring rear facing child safety seats for children under two years of age;

 

     (3)  Repealing the exemption for vehicles with less seat belts than the number of passengers; and

 

     (4)  Increasing the fines for violations of child restraint statutes.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation; Honolulu Police Department; Safe Kids Hawaii, Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children; and one individual.

 

     Your Committee finds that traffic accidents continue to be a leading cause of death for Hawaii's children.  According to the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines, infants and toddlers should ride in rear-facing car safety seats as long as possible, until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by child safety seats.  Your Committee further finds that rear facing child safety seats spread crash forces over the whole area of a child's back, head, and neck, protecting the spinal cord from snapping, which can lead to death or permanent severe injury.  This measure will help protect Hawaii's children from injury should they be in a car accident.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Making it effective upon its approval;

 

     (2)  Amending section 291-11.6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to make conforming amendments to this measure; and

 

     (3)  Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2004, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2004, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair