STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3696

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2750

H.D. 2

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. 2750, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MONETARY OBLIGATIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to prohibit the imposition of "stoppers", which are restrictions on a person's ability to obtain or renew a driver's license or register, renew the registration of, or transfer or receive title to a motor vehicle, as a penalty for unpaid monetary obligations, such as non-parking related traffic tickets. This measure is not intended to affect driver's license suspensions related to excessive speeding, lack of motor vehicle insurance, or noncompliance with a child support order.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Public Defender; Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, County of Kaua‘i; Hawai‘i Health & Harm Reduction Center; American Civil Liberties Union of Hawai‘i; Pono Hawai‘i Initiative; Hawaii Children's Action Network Speaks!; Parents and Children Together; Hawai‘i Friends of Civil Rights; Smart Justice; LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; We Are One, Inc.; and thirty-five individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Judiciary and Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Your Committee finds that stoppers are ineffective and counterproductive because the inability to obtain or renew a driver's license prevents people who have not committed a crime from getting to work, picking up their children, keeping medical appointments, and ultimately escaping debt. Your Committee believes that individuals should not be subjected to substantial and undue hardship because they cannot afford to pay a monetary fine.

Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of September 1, 2020.

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. 2750, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2750, H.D. 2, 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