STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3270

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2672

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2672 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CROSSWALKS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require a vehicle approaching a crosswalk from the opposite direction of another vehicle stopped at that crosswalk to yield and not proceed until a pedestrian, if any, has crossed the roadway.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Hawaii Bicycling League, Kauai Police Department, and twenty-two individuals.

Your Committee finds that according to the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, there were one hundred and eight motor vehicle related fatalities on Hawaii's roadways in 2019, with thirty-four percent of those fatalities involving pedestrians. Existing law requires that, when a pedestrian is in a crosswalk, only vehicles on the same side of the intersection of the crosswalk are required to stop for the pedestrian. There is no requirement that vehicles on the opposite side of the intersection also stop for the pedestrian in the crosswalk, which can create significant risks. This measure will enhance pedestrian safety and require vehicles approaching a crosswalk from the opposite direction to stop and wait until the pedestrian has crossed the roadway before proceeding.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2672 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

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KARL RHOADS, Chair