THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

81

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002

  

STATE OF HAWAII

  
   

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO INVESTIGATE THE FEASIBILITY OF USING NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRANSPORTATION SAFETY ADMINISTRATION SECTION 402 FUNDS FOR the establishment of A CHILD PASSENGER RESTRAINT REBATE PROGRAM.

 

WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that motor vehicle crashes remains the nation's leading cause of death in young children; and

WHEREAS, in May 2000, Partners for Child Passenger Safety, a Pennsylvania organization, released the first comprehensive investigation of how and why children are injured or killed in vehicle crashes; and

WHEREAS, that study found that children who ride unrestrained are three times more likely to sustain a significant injury in a crash, when compared with children who are restrained; and

WHEREAS, the study also found that eighty-three per cent of children ages four to eight have inappropriately graduated to the use of adult seat belts, which are not designed to fit young children and may put children at risk for abdominal and spinal cord injury in a crash; and

WHEREAS, booster seats can significantly reduce the risk for older children, but for many families the cost of booster seats is prohibitive; and

WHEREAS, section 235-15, Hawaii Revised Statutes, already establishes a $25 income tax credit to promote the purchase of new child passenger restraint systems; and

WHEREAS, it is possible that federal funds may also be used to increase the use of child passenger restraints in this State through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's State and Community Highway Traffic Safety (Section 402) Grant Program, also known as "Section 402 funds"; and

WHEREAS, Section 402 funds, which are authorized under 23 United States Code 402, are designed to be used to implement programs that address a wide range of highway safety problems that are related to human factors and the roadway environment and that contribute to the reduction of crashes, deaths, and injuries resulting therefrom; and

WHEREAS, Section 402 funds enhance state programs by providing resources to start up new, more effective projects; by catalyzing or accelerating state programs to address major safety issues with well-planned strategies; and by leveraging additional state and local investment in highway safety; and

WHEREAS, Section 402 funds are apportioned to states annually from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration according to a formula based on population and road mileage. Forty per cent of the funds must be provided for locally-based programs; and

WHEREAS, if considered an acceptable use of these funds, Section 402 funds potentially could be used as "seed" money to start up a new child passenger restraint rebate program; and

WHEREAS, there is a need to help prevent additional serious injuries and save children's lives by establishing a child passenger restraint rebate program, if possible using National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Section 402 funds; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2002, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Transportation is requested to investigate the feasibility of using National Highway Transportation Safety Administration Section 402 funds for the establishment of a child passenger restraint rebate program; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Transportation is requested to report its findings and recommendations, including any proposed implementing legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days before the convening of the Regular Session of 2003; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor and the Director of Transportation.

 

 
 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

Child Passenger Restraint Rebate Program; Federal Funds