STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3223

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1861

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

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. 1861, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NUMBER PLATES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require license plates issued on or after January 1, 2025, to include ʻokina in the word "Hawaiʻi"; and

(2) Authorize the use of all uppercase letters, all lowercase letters, or initial capital letters for the words "Hawaiʻi" and "Aloha State" in motor vehicle license plates.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Customer Services of the City and County of Honolulu and ten individuals.

Your Committee finds that two years ago, the Legislature passed Act 170, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022, which requires Hawaiian diacritical markings in Hawaiian names and words in official state and county letterhead. According to testimony received by your Committee, existing statute does not permit the inclusion of the ʻokina on license plates. This measure will support broader implementation of Hawaiian diacritical marks across government, including state vehicle license plates.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Limiting special number plates for environmental conservation to apply to electric vehicles only, with all the benefits and restriction of electric vehicle plates;

(2) Specifying that the design for special number plates for environmental conservation shall not require the words "Aloha State" along the lower portion of the plate;

(3) Making it effective upon its approval; and

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

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. 1861, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1861, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair