STAND. COM. REP. NO. 441-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1524

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 1524 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PEDESTRIANS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish that fines for pedestrian violations shall not exceed $25; and

(2) Require state and county agencies to revise applicable schedules of fines, rules, and procedures to comply with the monetary limit.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one member of the Kauaʻi County Council; Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice; Get Fit Kauaʻi; and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Judiciary; Department of Health; and one individual.

Your Committee finds that existing fines for pedestrian infractions are often disproportionate to the relative risk posed by such violations, particularly when compared to penalties for certain moving vehicle offenses that present greater threats to public safety. High monetary penalties for low-level pedestrian violations can impose significant financial hardship, especially on low-income residents who rely on walking and public transportation as primary modes of travel. By capping fines for pedestrian violations at a reasonable and proportionate amount, this measure promotes fairness in traffic enforcement while supporting the State's broader goals of encouraging safe, accessible, and sustainable transportation options.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the fine to an unspecified amount;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee notes that the measure originally contained a maximum fine amount of $25 and respectfully requests your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an effective date of January 1, 2027, to allow for necessary updates and proper implementation by the courts.

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. 1524, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1524, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

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

____________________________

DARIUS KILA, Chair