HB1730 HSCR364-02

 

STAND. COM. REP. NO.364-02

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: H.B. No. 1730

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1730 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DRIVERS EDUCATION FUND UNDERWRITERS FEE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to raise the drivers education fund underwriters fee and to reallocate the fee among the Insurance Division of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, and the Department of Transportation for use in driver education and traffic safety programs.

Specifically, this bill raises from $2 to $3.50 the fee assessed against an insurer for each motor vehicle that the insurer insures. Furthermore, the bill allocates the $3.50 in the following manner:

(1) $1 to the Insurance Commissioner to be expended for drivers education programs that a court orders a traffic violator to attend;

(2) $2 to the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs for drivers education and traffic safety education programs administered by the Department of Education; and

(3) 50 cents to the Department of Transportation for the drivers education program that it administers.

Your Committee finds that under the present law the $2 fee is allocated evenly between the Insurance Commissioner for court-ordered course attendance and the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs for programs administered by the Department of Education.

Your Committee further finds that the increased fee and its reallocation are necessary measures in the Legislature's continuing efforts to reduce teenage traffic injuries and deaths. Specifically, doubling the fee allocation to the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs for Department of Education programs will allow the Department of Education to double its programs, purchase new equipment, and serve approximately five thousand students a year. Furthermore, allocating 50 cents to the Department of Transportation will enable the Department to maintain its new program, for which only start-up funds were received from the federal government.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1730 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

 

		____________________________ KEN ITO, Chair