STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1628

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 214

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

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 S.B. No. 214, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC TRANSIT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish the offense of interference with the operation of a public transit vehicle.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Disability and Communication Access Board, Honolulu Police Department, and Department of Transportation Services of the City and County of Honolulu. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General and Office of the Public Defender.

Your Committee finds that many Hawaii residents and visitors rely on public transportation for education, employment, health care, housing, and community purposes. This measure will serve as a deterrent against acts that interfere with the safe and timely operation of public transit vehicles.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying the definition of "public transit vehicle";

(2) Changing the penalty for the offense of interference with the operation of a public transit vehicle that does not result in serious bodily injury to, or death of, any person from a misdemeanor to a violation;

(3) Making clarifying and conforming amendments to the existing offense of interference with the operator of a public transit vehicle;

(4) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(5) 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 S.B. No. 214, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 214, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair