STAND. COM. REP. NO. 516

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 601

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 601, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE TRAFFIC CODE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to improve public safety and efficiency by authorizing:

(1) The Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources to designate state employees or contractors; and

(2) County police chiefs to designate other county employees or contractors,

to cite for certain traffic violations.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Office of the Mayor of the County of Kauai, National Tropical Botanical Garden, and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee finds that the shortage of police officers across Hawaii constrains county police departments' ability to enforce traffic and safety violations. This measure will provide additional persons with the authority to issue traffic citations, thereby improving traffic safety in the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would authorize the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources to designate state employees or contractors to cite for certain traffic violations;

(2) Deleting language that would authorize the county police chiefs to designate contractors to cite for certain traffic violations; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

Your Committee notes that any additional responsibilities for county employees pursuant to this measure would have to be worked out through negotiated agreements.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 601, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 601, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair