STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3232

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2492

H.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts, to which was referred H.B. No. 2492, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to amend existing law to meet new federal regulations for commercial driver's licenses when the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse prohibits a driver from operating a commercial vehicle due to drug and alcohol violations.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii's penalties for commercial motor vehicle employers and drivers with out-of-service violations and railroad-highway grade crossing violations are not in compliance with federal regulations. Your Committee further finds that according to federal regulations, if a state discovers a candidate is prohibited from operating a commercial motor vehicle, the State must not grant the commercial learner's permit or must downgrade the commercial driver's license. By revising existing statute, this measure will ensure compatibility with federal compliance by allowing the State to conform to federal regulations.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2492, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts,

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CHRIS LEE, Chair