Senate votes to While the state Senate had no problem standing as one body to scrap the controversial traffic cameras yesterday, senators collided on other traffic measures -- even voting down one bill.
turn off cams
But a compromise may become
necessary to avoid a stalemate
with the state HouseBy Crystal Kua
ckua@starbulletin.comDuring a day of voting in a mainly chummy, bipartisan atmosphere, all 25 senators voted in favor of Senate bill 2077 that would kill the photo enforcement program, which targets speeders and red-light runners.
But nine senators said they had reservations about the bill.
"I prefer a comprehensive fix than repealing," said Sen. Les Ihara (D, Kapahulu).
Ihara said he would like to see insurance rates not affected by speeding tickets from the cameras and for the private vendor operating the cameras to get a flat fee from the state rather than a cut from every ticket issued. He would also like to see the counties be able to approve the use of the traffic cameras.
"If these fixes are made, I would support a bill like that. If not, then I would continue to support a repeal.
But Senate Vice President Colleen Hanabusa (D, Waianae), the author of the bill, said the fixes are far too many. She said that even the Traffic Court judges are hinting to cited motorists how to beat their tickets.
She blamed the state Department of Transportation for improperly implementing the program.
"Had they done what they were supposed to do, we would not be in this position today," she said. "Do we step back and let them try to fix the system, a system that every time they go to court there is some other flaw to what is going on."
On Friday, the House passed legislation that calls for the current program to be repealed and then replaced by a new and improved version.
Sen. Ron Menor (D, Mililani) cautioned that a compromise may be needed to prevent legislative inaction. If no agreement is reached between the House and Senate, the current program would be kept in place.
"As the bill moves through the process, I'm hoping that all of my colleagues would keep an open mind to the possibility of middle ground," he said.
Yesterday's votes came as the Legislature is looking to meet tomorrow's crossover deadline -- all bills except for the state budget must pass out of their originating body by tomorrow to cross over to the other side for consideration.
The votes for a couple of other traffic bills resulted in a split vote among senators while a third was defeated.
The Senate voted 13-12 in favor of Senate Bill 2336, which would prohibit drivers under 18 years old from driving alone from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
Opponents of Kawamoto's bill said that it would cause hardship among families, be difficult to enforce and take away parental authority.
By the same vote, the Senate also passed Bill 2321, which would raise the age of mandatory child seat from 4 to 8 years old. The bill passed last session but was vetoed by Gov. Ben Cayetano.
But 18 senators voted down Bill 2487 intended to improve pedestrian safety by imposing fines and jail time for violation of the pedestrian laws and suggesting pedestrians make every effort to make eye contact with the driver of an approaching car.
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