HB 2027

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H.B. NO.
2027
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII
A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
���� SECTION 1.� Chapter 291C, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding two new sections to be appropriately designated and to read
as follows:
���� "�291C-   � Shoulder lanes; use prohibited.� (a)�
Except as otherwise provided in section 291C-26 or as permitted during
hours designated by the department, no vehicle shall be driven on the shoulder
of a roadway.
���� (b)� Every person who violates this section shall
be subject to the following penalties:
���� (1)� For a first
infraction, or any infraction not preceded within one year by a prior violation
of this section, a fine of $250; and
���� (2)� For a second or
subsequent violation committed within five years of the first violation, a fine
of $1,000.
���� �291C-   � Expired registration; enforcement;
penalties.� (a)�
Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, after verifying the
registration status of a vehicle, the department of transportation, any law
enforcement officer, or any approved person, contractor, or government agency
designated to carry out towing enforcement may impound a vehicle that is parked
on a public roadway or in a commercial parking lot that is open to the public
and cause the vehicle to be towed subject to section 290-11(b) to (i) when,
prior to towing the vehicle, the department of transportation or a county
department of finance has verified that the vehicle is not currently registered
and has not been registered for the three previous consecutive years or more.
���� (b)� The owner of the vehicle may redeem the
vehicle by registering the vehicle prior to recovering the vehicle pursuant to
section 290-11 and shall present the vehicle's current registration when
recovering the vehicle.
���� (c)� The owner of the vehicle shall not be liable
for any towing or storage charges under section 290-11 if the vehicle was
improperly impounded or towed and shall be allowed to recover the vehicle upon
presenting the vehicle's current registration without payment to the towing
company.� The towing company shall allow
a vehicle owner to enter the vehicle to obtain the vehicle's current
registration certificate to establish ownership.
���� (d)� The department of transportation and law
enforcement agencies may establish rules as necessary for the enforcement of
this section.
���� (e)� The department of transportation shall submit
an annual report to the legislature detailing by county the enforcement
activity of this section no later than twenty days prior to each regular
session."
���� SECTION 2.� Section 286-61,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
���� "�286-61� Penalty.� Any person who violates sections 286-41,
286-42, 286-44.5 to 286-56.5, and 286-58 to 286-60 shall be fined [[not]] no
less than $5 [[nor]] and no more than $1,000; provided that any
corporate owner of a motor vehicle who fails to register a motor vehicle as
required by section 286-41(a) following a transfer of the vehicle between
counties shall be fined $1,000 for each violation[[.]]; provided
further that any owner of an out-of-state motor vehicle brought into the State
who fails to register the out-of-state motor vehicle pursuant to section
286-41, 286-50, or 286-54 shall be fined no less than $500 and no more than $1,000
for each violation.� Any person who
violates section 286-43, 286-44, or 286-57 shall be fined [[not]] no
less than $5 and [[not]] no more than $1,000 or imprisoned [[not]]
no more than one year, or both."
���� SECTION 3.� Section
291C-227, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
���� "�291C-227� Penalty.� A person who violates any provision of this
part shall [[for a first conviction thereof be fined $75; for conviction of a
second offense committed within one year after the date of the first offense,
the person shall be fined $150; for conviction of a third or subsequent offense
committed within one year after the date of the first offense, the person shall
be fined $200.]], for each conviction thereof, be subject to a fine of no
less than $250 and no more than $  ."
���� SECTION 4.� This Act does not affect rights and duties
that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun
before its effective date.
���� SECTION 5.� Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.� New statutory
material is underscored.
���� SECTION 6.� This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
Report Title:
DOT;
Counties; Motor Vehicles; Shoulder Lanes; Registration; Expired Registration;
Enforcement; Penalties; Out-of-state Motor Vehicles; High Occupancy Vehicle
Lanes; Violations; Fines
Description:
Prohibits
vehicles from driving on the shoulder of a roadway, except in certain
circumstances.� Authorizes the Department
of Transportation, law enforcement officers, and other approved persons to
impound vehicles with expired registrations of three years or more, under
certain conditions.� Requires an annual
report to the Legislature.� Increases the
fine amount for owners of out-of-state motor vehicles who fail to register the
vehicle in the State.� Establishes
minimum and maximum statutory penalties for violations relating to the use of
high occupancy vehicle lanes.� (HD1)
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.