STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2651

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3135

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 3135 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PARKING FOR DISABLED PERSONS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize the Examiner of Drivers to suspend the driver's license of a person using a disability parking permit issued to a deceased person who was deceased when the permit was issued to obtain parking privileges;

(2) Provide that fifty percent of any fine imposed for violating the law relating to parking for disabled persons is remitted to the law enforcement agency that issued the citation;

(3) Authorize each county to enact ordinances to enforce the design and construction requirements for the provision of accessible parking spaces, including the establishment of penalties for failure to comply with the ordinances; and

(4) Authorize officials appointed by a county to enter the property of places of public accommodation to enforce violations of the county ordinances.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Disability and Communication Access Board, a member of the Kauaʻi County Council, Retail Merchants of Hawaii, and six individuals.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Honolulu Police Department.

Your Committees find that the statewide parking program for persons with disabilities provides individuals with mobility disabilities the ability to travel and park in accessible parking spaces. However, improper use and insufficient enforcement impact access for legitimate participants. This measure ensures greater accessibility to parking spaces for individuals with disabilities and their caretakers.

Your Committees have amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3135, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3135, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair

________________________________ CHRIS LEE, Chair