SB 597: ADLRO; Written Notice; Decisions

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO ADMINISTRATIVE DRIVERS LICENSE REVOCATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that extending the deadlines for the administrative driver's license revocation office to issue its initial decision, regarding whether to revoke the driver's license of an individual suspected of operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant, is in the best interests of public health, safety, and welfare.

     Each year, hundreds of people across Hawaii are injured and dozens are killed in motor vehicle collisions involving a driver who tests positive for drugs or alcohol.  Effective law enforcement can help to deter would-be offenders from operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant, and part of that enforcement effort includes testing any breath or blood samples provided by drivers suspected of operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant.  Aside from criminal cases, these test results, if obtained within the time period set by statute, may also be used by the administrative driver's license revocation office to potentially revoke the person's driver's license.  The sooner the administrative driver's license revocation office can issue its initial decision regarding a potential license revocation, the sooner those individuals can be kept off the road or required to install an ignition interlock device if they wish to continue driving.

     The legislature acknowledges that while it is certainly important for the administrative driver's license revocation office to issue these decisions quickly, Hawaii is one of the few states that has a statutory deadline for decisions to be issued.  Of those states that do have a deadline set by statute, the deadlines appear to be significantly longer than Hawaii's deadline.  Oregon, for example, requires their administrative driver's license revocation office to issue decisions within thirty days from arrest, or sixty days from the time positive blood test results are received.  Notably, Oregon has in-state labs that can test blood for the presence of drugs, while Hawaii does not.

     The legislature further finds that a 2024 nationwide survey of toxicology laboratories, conducted by The Center for Forensic Science Research & Education, found that fifty per cent of the labs reported testing for alcohol within fifteen days or less, while only fourteen per cent complete their testing in under six days.  When testing for drugs other than alcohol, the timeframe varies greatly.  Thirty-two per cent of labs reported testing in thirty days or less, while another thirty-two per cent complete their testing within thirty-one to sixty days.  Only fourteen per cent reported testing for drugs within twenty days or less.  These timeframes do not include the time needed for a specimen to be shipped to the lab, which is an additional factor for law enforcement agencies in Hawaii, especially those in the counties of Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii who need to ship all of their blood and urine specimens to Honolulu.  Any specimens to be tested for drugs are then shipped from Honolulu to the continental United States.

     The legislature concludes that establishing more reasonable deadlines for the administrative driver's license revocation office to issue its decisions, which account for technological realities and align with national timeframes for testing specimens for drugs and alcohol, would enable the administrative driver's license revocation office to issue decisions that are based on physical evidence, resulting in more just and reliable outcomes.

     Therefore, the purpose of this Act is to extend the written review decision deadline for the issuance of a notice of administrative revocation of a license to operate a vehicle.

     SECTION 2.  Section 291E-37, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

     "(a)  The director [automatically] shall automatically review the issuance of a notice of administrative revocation and shall issue a written decision administratively revoking the license and privilege to operate a vehicle or rescinding the notice of administrative revocation.  The written review decision shall be mailed to the respondent, or to the parent or guardian of the respondent if the respondent is under the age of eighteen, no later than:

     (1)  [Eight] Fourteen days after the date the notice was issued in a case involving an alcohol related offense; or

     (2)  [Twenty-two] Twenty-eight days after the date the notice was issued in a case involving a drug related offense."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Report Title:

ADLRO; Written Notice; Decisions

Description:

Extends the deadline in which the Administrative Driver's License Revocation Office is required to issue a written review decision of a notice of administrative revocation of a person's license to operate a vehicle.  (CD1)

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO ADMINISTRATIVE DRIVERS LICENSE REVOCATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that extending the deadlines for the administrative driver's license revocation office to issue its initial decision, regarding whether to revoke the driver's license of an individual suspected of operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant, is in the best interests of public health, safety, and welfare.

     Each year, hundreds of people across Hawaii are injured and dozens are killed in motor vehicle collisions involving a driver who tests positive for drugs or alcohol.  Effective law enforcement can help to deter would-be offenders from operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant, and part of that enforcement effort includes testing any breath or blood samples provided by drivers suspected of operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant.  Aside from criminal cases, these test results, if obtained within the time period set by statute, may also be used by the administrative driver's license revocation office to potentially revoke the person's drivers license.  The sooner the administrative driver's license revocation office can issue its initial decision regarding a potential license revocation, the sooner those individuals can be kept off the road or required to install an ignition interlock device if they wish to continue driving.

     The legislature acknowledges that while it is certainly important for the administrative driver's license revocation office to issue these decisions quickly, Hawaii is one of the few states that has a statutory deadline for decisions to be issued.  Of those states that do have a deadline set by statute, the deadlines appear to be significantly longer than Hawaii's deadline.  Oregon, for example, requires their administrative driver's license revocation office to issue decisions within thirty days from arrest, or sixty days from the time positive blood test results are received.  Notably, Oregon has in-state labs that can test blood for the presence of drugs, while Hawaii does not.

     The legislature further finds that a 2024 nationwide survey of toxicology laboratories, conducted by The Center for Forensic Science Research & Education, found that fifty per cent of the labs reported testing for alcohol within fifteen days or less, while only fourteen per cent complete their testing in under six days.  When testing for drugs other than alcohol, the timeframe varies greatly.  Thirty-two per cent of labs reported testing in thirty days or less, while another thirty-two per cent complete their testing within thirty-one to sixty days.  Only fourteen per cent reported testing for drugs within twenty days or less.  These timeframes do not include the time needed for a specimen to be shipped to the lab, which is an additional factor for law enforcement agencies in Hawaii, especially those in the counties of Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii who need to ship all of their blood and urine specimens to Honolulu.  Any specimens to be tested for drugs are then shipped from Honolulu to the continental United States.

     The legislature concludes that establishing more reasonable deadlines for the administrative driver's license revocation office to issue its decisions, which account for technological realities and align with national timeframes for testing specimens for drugs and alcohol, would enable the administrative driver's license revocation office to issue decisions that are based on physical evidence, resulting in more just and reliable outcomes.

     Therefore, the purpose of this Act is to extend the written review decision deadline for the issuance of a notice of administrative revocation of a license to operate a vehicle.

     SECTION 2.  Section 291E-37, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

     "(a)  The director [automatically] shall automatically review the issuance of a notice of administrative revocation and shall issue a written decision administratively revoking the license and privilege to operate a vehicle or rescinding the notice of administrative revocation.  The written review decision shall be mailed to the respondent, or to the parent or guardian of the respondent if the respondent is under the age of eighteen, no later than:

     (1)  [Eight] Fourteen days after the date the notice was issued in a case involving an alcohol related offense; or

     (2)  [Twenty-two] Twenty-eight days after the date the notice was issued in a case involving a drug related offense."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 3000.

Report Title:

Administrative Driver's License Revocation Office; Written Notice; Decisions

Description:

Extends the deadline in which the Administrative Driver's License Revocation Office is required to issue a written review decision of a notice of administrative revocation of a person's license to operate a vehicle.  Effective 7/1/3000.  (HD2)

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO ADMINISTRATIVE DRIVERS LICENSE REVOCATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that extending the deadlines for the administrative driver's license revocation office to issue its initial decision, regarding whether to revoke the driver's license of an individual suspected of operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant, is in the best interests of public health, safety, and welfare.

     Each year, hundreds of people across Hawaii are injured and dozens are killed in motor vehicle collisions involving a driver who tests positive for drugs or alcohol.  Effective law enforcement can help to deter would-be offenders from operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant, and part of that enforcement effort includes testing any breath or blood samples provided by drivers suspected of operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant.  Aside from criminal cases, these test results, if obtained within the time period set by statute, may also be referenced by the administrative driver's license revocation office, to potentially revoke the person's drivers license.  The sooner the administrative driver's license revocation office can issue its initial decision regarding a potential license revocation, the sooner those individuals can be kept off the road or required to install an ignition interlock device if they wish to continue driving.

     The legislature acknowledges that while it is certainly important for administrative driver's license revocation office to issue these decisions quickly, Hawaii is one of the few states that has a statutory deadline for decisions to be issued.  Of those states that do have a deadline set by statute, the deadlines appear to be significantly longer than Hawaii's deadline.  Oregon, for example, requires their administrative driver's license revocation office to issue decisions within thirty days from arrest, or sixty days from the time positive blood test results are received.  Notably, Oregon has in-state labs that can test blood for the presence of drugs, while Hawaii does not.

     The legislature further finds that a 2024 nationwide survey of toxicology laboratories, conducted by The Center for Forensic Science Research & Education, found that fifty per cent of the labs reported testing for alcohol within fifteen days or less, while only fourteen per cent complete their testing in under six days.  When testing for drugs other than alcohol, the timeframe varies greatly, but thirty-two per cent of labs reported testing in thirty days or less, while another thirty-two per cent complete their testing within thirty-one to sixty days.  Only fourteen per cent reported testing for drugs within twenty days or less.  These timeframes do not include the time needed for a specimen to be shipped to the lab, which is an additional factor for law enforcement agencies in Hawaii, especially those in the counties of Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii who need to ship all of their blood and urine specimens to Honolulu, after which any specimens to be tested for drugs then to be shipped from Honolulu to the continental United States.

     The legislature concludes that establishing more reasonable deadlines for administrative driver's license revocation office to issue its decisions, which account for the realities of technology, and are more in-line with national timeframes to test specimens for the presence of drugs and alcohol, would allow administrative driver's license revocation office to issue more decisions that are based on physical evidence and thus more just and reliable in their outcome.

     Therefore, the purpose of this Act is to extend the written review decision deadline for the issuance of a notice of administrative revocation of a driver's license.

     SECTION 2.  Section 291E-37, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

     "(a)  The director automatically shall review the issuance of a notice of administrative revocation and shall issue a written decision administratively revoking the license and privilege to operate a vehicle or rescinding the notice of administrative revocation.  The written review decision shall be mailed to the respondent, or to the parent or guardian of the respondent if the respondent is under the age of eighteen, no later than:

     (1)  [Eight] Fourteen days after the date the notice was issued in a case involving an alcohol related offense; or

     (2)  [Twenty-two] Twenty-eight days after the date the notice was issued in a case involving a drug related offense."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 3000.

Report Title:

Administrative Driver's License Revocation Office; Written Notice; Decisions

Description:

Extends the time restriction in which the Administrative Driver's License Revocation Office is required to issue a written review decision of a notice of administrative revocation of a person's driver license.  Effective 7/1/3000.  (HD1)

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to ADMINISTRATIVE DRIVERS LICENSE REVOCATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that extending the deadlines for the Hawaii administrative drivers license revocation office (ADLRO) to issue its initial decision, regarding whether to revoke the drivers license of an individual suspected of operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant (OVUII), is in the best interests of public health, safety, and welfare.

     Each year, hundreds of people across Hawaii are injured and dozens are killed in motor vehicle collisions involving a driver who tests positive for drugs or alcohol.  Effective law enforcement can help to deter would-be offenders from OVUII, and part of that enforcement effort includes testing any breath or blood samples provided by drivers suspected of OVUII.  Aside from criminal cases, these test results, if obtained within the time period set by statute, may also be referenced by the ADLRO, to potentially revoke the person's drivers license.  The sooner the ADLRO can issue its initial decision regarding a potential license revocation, the sooner those individuals can be kept off the road or required to install an ignition interlock device if they wish to continue driving. 

     The legislature acknowledges that while it is certainly important for ADLRO to issue these decisions quickly, Hawaii is one of the few states that has a statutory deadline for decisions to be issued.  Of those states that do have a deadline set by statute, the deadlines appear to be significantly longer than Hawaii's deadline.  Oregon, for example, requires their ADLRO to issue decisions within thirty days from arrest, or sixty days from the time positive blood test results are received.  Notably, Oregon has in-state labs that can test blood for the presence of drugs, while Hawaii does not.

     The legislature further finds that a 2024 nationwide survey of toxicology laboratories, conducted by The Center for Forensic Science Research & Education, fifty per cent of the labs reported testing for alcohol within fifteen days or less, while only fourteen per cent complete their testing in under six days.  When testing for drugs other than alcohol, the timeframe varies greatly, but thirty-two per cent of labs reported testing in thirty days or less, while another thirty-two per cent complete their testing within thirty-one to sixty days.  Only fourteen per cent reported testing for drugs within twenty days or less.  These timeframes do not include the time needed for a specimen to be shipped to the lab, which is an additional factor for law enforcement agencies in Hawaii, especially those in the counties of Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii who need to ship all of their blood and urine specimens to Honolulu, after which any specimens to be tested for drugs then to be shipped from Honolulu to the continental United States.

     The legislature concludes that establishing more reasonable deadlines for ADLRO to issue its decisions, which account for the realities of technology, and are more in-line with national timeframes to test specimens for the presence of drugs and alcohol, would allow ADLRO to issue more decisions that are based on physical evidence and thus more just and reliable in their outcome.

     Therefore, the purpose of this Act is to extend the written review decision deadline for the issuance of a notice of administrative revocation of a drivers license.

     SECTION 2.  Section 291E-37, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

     "(a)  The director automatically shall review the issuance of a notice of administrative revocation and shall issue a written decision administratively revoking the license and privilege to operate a vehicle or rescinding the notice of administrative revocation.  The written review decision shall be mailed to the respondent, or to the parent or guardian of the respondent if the respondent is under the age of eighteen, no later than:

     (1)  [Eight] Fifteen days after the date the notice was issued in a case involving an alcohol related offense; or

     (2)  [Twenty-two] Thirty days after the date the notice was issued in a case involving a drug related offense."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Report Title:

ADLRO; Written Notice; Decisions

Description:

Extends the time restriction in which the Hawaii Administrative Drivers License Revocation Office is required to issue a written review decision of a notice of administrative revocation of a person's driver license.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 101

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2025

RE:    S.B. No. 597

       H.D. 2

       C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir and Madam:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 597, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ADMINISTRATIVE DRIVERS LICENSE REVOCATION,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to extend the deadline in which the Administrative Driver's License Revocation Office is required to issue a written review decision of a notice of administrative revocation of a person's license to operate a vehicle.

     Your Committee on Conference finds that the State's existing deadlines for the Administrative Driver's License Revocation Office to issue its initial decision regarding whether to revoke the driver's license of an individual suspected of operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant are unreasonable.  The current deadlines align with neither national best practices nor the technological realities of toxicology laboratories for testing specimens for drugs and alcohol.  Your Committee on Conference therefore concludes that by extending the deadlines, this measure will enable the Administrative Driver's License Revocation Office to issue decisions that are based on physical evidence, resulting in more reliable, just outcomes.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Making it effective upon its approval; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 597, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 597, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1774

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2025

RE:   S.B. No. 597

      H.D. 2

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

     Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 597, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ADMINISTRATIVE DRIVERS LICENSE REVOCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to extend the written review decision deadline for the issuance of a notice of administrative revocation of a license to operate a vehicle.  

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of the Attorney General; Department of Law Enforcement; Department of Transportation; County of Hawaiʻi Office of the Prosecuting Attorney; Hawaiʻi Police Department; and Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition.

     Your Committee finds that the Administrative Driver's License Revocation Office (ADLRO) is often unable consider toxicology results before issuing its initial written decision on whether or not to administratively revoke an individual's driver's license.  Under existing statutory deadlines, the ADLRO must issue its written decision within eight days of the notice being issued in cases involving alcohol, or twenty-two days of the notice being issued in cases involving drugs.  However, many forensic toxicology laboratories are unable to test for blood alcohol content or blood drug content within these deadlines, particularly if the incident occurs on the neighbor islands who must ship specimens to Honolulu for testing.  This measure will allow the ADLRO the opportunity to fully consider all relevant evidence in a case by establishing a more reasonable timeframe for the ADLRO to receive and properly evaluate complete toxicology result.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 597, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 597, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1466

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2025

RE:   S.B. No. 597

      H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred S.B. No. 597 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ADMINISTRATIVE DRIVERS LICENSE REVOCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to extend the written review decision deadline for the issuance of a notice of administrative revocation of a driver's license.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of the Attorney General; Department of Law Enforcement; Department of Transportation; Hawaiʻi Police Department; Honolulu Police Department; Office of the Prosecuting Attorney of the County of Hawaiʻi; and Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

     Your Committee finds that hundreds of people in the State are injured every year in traffic incidents involving a driver who was under the influence of either drugs or alcohol.  Your Committee further finds Hawaii is one of the few states that imposes a statutory deadline for the issuance of a decision regarding whether or not to administratively revoke the driver's license of an individual suspected of operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant.  Extending this statutory deadline, as proposed by this measure, will allow the Administrative Driver's License Revocation Office more time to consider the toxicology results of breath or blood samples provided by a defendant and will ensure any administrative revocation of a driver license is based on complete toxicology evidence.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Reducing the mailing deadline proposed in this measure for written review decisions after an administrative revocation notice in alcohol- and drug-related cases to fourteen and twenty-eight days, respectively;

     (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.

     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 S.B. No. 597, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 597, 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,

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 971

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 597

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 597 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ADMINISTRATIVE DRIVERS LICENSE REVOCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to extend the written review decision deadline for the issuance of a notice of administrative revocation of a drivers license.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of the Attorney General, Department of Transportation, Department of Law Enforcement, Office of the Prosecuting Attorney of the County of Kauaʻi, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the County of Maui, Office of the Prosecuting Attorney of the County of Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi Police Department, Honolulu Police Department, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving Hawaiʻi.

     Your Committee finds that existing law requires that the Hawaii Administrative Drivers License Revocation Office is required to mail a written review decision to the driver no later than eight days after the date the notice was issued, usually the arrest date, in a case involving an alcohol-related offense, or twenty-two days after the date the notice was issued in a case involving a drug-related offense.  Your Committee further finds that these are calendar days that may also include long weekends.  Your Committee believes that the current number of days is not sufficient, considering transport times, laboratories' hours of operation, and the time it takes for testing of toxicology samples.  This measure will ensure that the Hawaii Administrative Drivers License Revocation Office has the evidence it needs when reviewing impaired driving cases.

     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 S.B. No. 597 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 255

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 597

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts, to which was referred S.B. No. 597 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ADMINISTRATIVE DRIVERS LICENSE REVOCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to extend the written review decision deadline for the issuance of a notice of administrative revocation of a drivers license.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of the Attorney General, Department of Law Enforcement, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the County of Maui, and Hawaiʻi County Police Department.

     Your Committee finds that in cases involving the operation of a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant where a breath or blood specimen is provided by a defendant, it is important for the results of the chemical analysis to be considered in any decision‑making on whether to revoke the defendant's drivers license.  However, only a small percentage of forensic toxicology laboratories are able to test for blood alcohol content within six days, and given that all of the specimens from Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai counties must first be shipped to Honolulu for testing, your Committee believes that additional time is needed to account for these shipments before requiring the Administrative Drivers License Revocation Office to issue its initial written decision on whether to revoke an individual's drivers license.  This measure will enhance the quality and accuracy of administrative review decisions while ensuring that law enforcement's efforts to maintain road safety are supported by complete scientific evidence.

     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. 597 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts,