STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3111

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1510

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 1510, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Condition the issuance of a certificate of inspection upon a vehicle not being equipped with any cover or shield installed over the license plate;

(2) Amend the penalty for obstruction of a license plate;

(3) Allow state or county parking enforcement officers and persons authorized by a state or county law enforcement agency to issue citations for vehicles with a cover or shield obstructing the license plate; and

(4) Repeal the requirement that a cover or shield be intended to alter or interfere with the visibility, legibility, or identification of a license plate by law enforcement or traffic enforcement systems.

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

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Judiciary.

Your Committee finds that the visibility and readability of license plates are crucial for law enforcement, public safety, and automated license enforcement systems. This measure will prohibit covers and shields over license plates to ensure that license plate numbers remain clearly visible at all times, facilitating the accurate identification of vehicles.

Your Committee has amended this measure making it effective on January 1, 2027.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1510, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1510, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation,

________________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair