STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1091

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 1319

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1319, 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 allow operators of bicycles, motorcycles, and mopeds to proceed through an intersection on a steady red signal during certain hours if the traffic signal is controlled by a vehicle detection device that is inoperative due to the size or composition of the bicycle, motorcycle, or moped.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Street Bikers United, and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Honolulu Police Department and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that some traffic signals controlled by vehicle detection devices are not able to detect bicycles, motorcycles, or mopeds due to their size and weight, which creates the potential for operators to disregard the signal or wait for another motor vehicle to trigger the traffic signal. Your Committee further finds that this measure would allow Hawaii to follow the lead of several other states that have already passed varying "dead red" laws, which allow operators to proceed through a red traffic signal if they fail to trigger the traffic signal sensor.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

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. 1319, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1319, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair