Proposal for traffic cameras rejected

By Gordon Y.K. Pang
Advertiser Capitol Bureau

Proposals for stationary traffic-enforcement cameras and a three-tier driver's licensing system were shot down yesterday when House and Senate leaders failed to support both plans.

Rep. Joe Souki, D-8th (Wailuku, Waiehu), said House members would support House Bill 2290, establishing the three-tier system, but only if senators agreed to attach to the bill a House plan to allow the counties to establish their fixed traffic-enforcement program for red-light and speeding violators.

Sen. Cal Kawamoto, D-18th (Pearl City, Waipahu, Crestview), said while he supported traffic-enforcement cameras, he could not persuade key colleagues to sign on. Kawamoto said after the meeting that the senators opposing the cameras cited concerns about the potential for invasion of policy.

"The Senate cannot agree with the House draft at this time," Kawamoto said to Souki, sitting across the table from him in conference committee.

"It's enabling legislation (allowing counties to adopt their own laws), that's all it is," Souki said.

"No," Kawamoto said.

"Can't agree, though? OK, so both will have to die then?" Souki said.

"Yes sir," Kawamoto said.

"Dead," Souki said.

Yesterday was the Legislature's deadline for nonfiscal bills to be passed out of House-Senate conference committee and be positioned for final votes in the two chambers next week. Bills affecting the state budget have until today to move out of conference committee.

Carol McNamee, Mothers Against Drunk Driving chairwoman for public policy, said the three-stage licensing plan was her organization's top priority this year and called its demise "extremely disappointing and frustrating," particularly since both houses had approved some form of the plan.

McNamee said she expects MADD to return next year to fight again for passage of the program. "I think what hurts us is we know that a bill like this has proven to be effective," she said. "When a bill like this is delayed, when days are lost, when months are lost and years are lost, it means lives are lost."

The proposal called for creating a "middle tier" to the existing system, in which teens can get a learner's permit at age 15 1/2 and be eligible for a license at 16. Under the proposal, 16- or 17-year-olds would receive a "provisional license" that would require them to be accompanied by a licensed parent or guardian when driving between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. Exceptions would be made for people who work late hours.

But Senate members could not agree to a separate exemption for people attending school activities, which was a key reason the bill was sent to conference committee.

About 40 states have the same or a similar system in place, McNamee said.

Meanwhile, Souki lamented the loss of the traffic-camera bill. "I believe that saving lives ... to be of utmost importance and the cameras would do that," he said.

Among the bills that met yesterday's deadline and are now poised for final passage:

Senate Bill 1611, which fine-tunes the "bottle bill" law but holds fast to the scheduled Jan. 1 start to the bottle deposit and exchange program.

The Deposit Beverage Container Program, passed by the Legislature in 2002, assesses wholesalers one-half cent per glass, plastic or aluminum container as a way to build up a reserve fund for the redemption program. That fee will jump to 1 cent on Oct. 1. Retailers would be allowed to begin charging 6 cents per container on Nov. 1. Starting Jan. 1, consumers can begin redeeming the containers for a 5-cent return. The remaining penny per container is to cover the costs of the program.

The version moving out of conference committee yesterday gives retailers who are required to set up redemption centers until July 1, 2005, to do so. Retail outlets with less than 5,000 square feet of sales space are not required to maintain redemption centers.

Senate Bill 17, which establishes a two-tier kindergarten system in Hawai'i's public schools. Beginning in 2006, children who turn 5 after Aug. 1 would have to wait until the following year to start kindergarten. For this group of children, a "junior kindergarten" would be established in the public school system to accommodate this "gap group."

House Education Chairman Roy Takumi, D-36th (Pearl City, Palisades), said there would be some flexibility for children to be placed where more appropriate.

Reach Gordon Y.K. Pang at gpang@honoluluadvertiser.com or at 525-8070.