Bill > SB97

This bill introduces two primary changes to Hawaii's motor vehicle laws. First, the bill significantly increases penalties for excessive speeding, specifically targeting repeat offenders. For a third offense of excessive speeding within five years, the bill upgrades the offense from a petty misdemeanor to a full misdemeanor and mandates a minimum thirty-day jail sentence. The bill defines excessive speeding as driving either 30 miles per hour over the posted speed limit or 80 miles per hour or more, regardless of the posted limit. The penalties for first and second offenses remain largely the same, including fines, license suspension, driver retraining, and potential community service or short-term imprisonment. The second part of the bill clarifies procedures for automated speed enforcement systems, specifying that a summons or citation must be mailed within ten calendar days of an incident, with the registered vehicle owner being held responsible. The bill also requires that county police departments carefully review the photographic or digital evidence of the traffic infraction before mailing the citation. The new law is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and will apply to future speeding infractions, not retroactively to previous offenses.

Justice, Transportation and Infrastructure

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=97&year=2025