STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2351

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2690

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 S.B. No. 2690 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INTOXICATING LIQUOR,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to prohibit any person convicted of operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant or habitually operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant from purchasing or publicly consuming alcohol for a certain period.

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

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General and Mothers Against Drunk Driving Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii has a significantly higher percentage of adults who report driving after drinking in the past thirty days compared to the national average. However, your Committee notes that while there are current driving-related restrictions in place, previous offenders may still purchase and drink alcohol in public spaces. This measure therefore will reduce public drinking for any person previously convicted of driving under an intoxicant and increase traffic, road, and pedestrian safety.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Removing language that would have provided for certain requirements and an expiration date for a license issued to a person whose license is revoked by the Administrative Driver's License Revocation Office;

(2) Clarifying that an identification card issued to an individual who has been convicted for a violation of section 291E-61 or 291E-61.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and is prohibited from purchasing or publicly consuming liquor shall be valid for a restriction period commencing on the date of revocation or conviction, whichever is earlier, and ending on the end date of the revocation period;

(3) Changing references to "probation period" to "restriction period";

(4) Changing references to "driver's license" to "license", where appropriate;

(5) Making conforming amendments to related statutory sections;

(6) Inserting an effective date of January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(7) 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 S.B. No. 2690, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2690, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and 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