STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3691

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1523

H.D. 1

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 Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 1523, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATEWIDE TRAFFIC CODE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to remove references to countdown timers as it relates to pedestrian-control signals, including the requirement that pedestrians must begin crossing a roadway before a countdown timer begins.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice, Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute, Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization, Hawaiʻi Bicycling League, and one individual.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition and two individuals.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committee finds that existing law prohibits pedestrians from entering a crosswalk once a countdown timer has begun, allowing for the issuance of citations to individuals who are behaving reasonably and have ample time to safely cross a street. Rather than promoting safety, this overly technical regulation criminalizes ordinary behavior and transforms informational safety tools into enforcement traps. This measure will remove this burdensome regulation to improve clarity, fairness, and safety for pedestrians in the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of March 22, 2075, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1523, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1523, H.D. 1, S.D. 1.

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

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair