State lawmakers are hopeful an agreement can be reached on a "move over" bill mandating that motorists use extra caution and take specific steps when approaching a traffic or crime scene where emergency responders are working.
The state House and Senate passed different versions of House Bill 2030, which became a priority for local law enforcement officials following the deaths of two Honolulu police officers in a five-month period while they were stopped along Oahu highways.
House and Senate leaders met to discuss their differences on the bill for the first time Thursday.
The House version is more specific, requiring motorists to not use the lane next to a stationary emergency vehicle when there are two or more available lanes, or to slow to a "reasonable and prudent" speed when there are fewer lanes. An offense would be a petty misdemeanor.
The Senate version requires only that a motorist slow to a reasonable and prudent speed when approaching an emergency road situation, or make a lane change if necessary and if it is safe to do so. Not abiding by the law would constitute a traffic violation, less onerous than a petty misdemeanor.
A petty misdemeanor, besides possible jail time and a stiffer fine, could also affect a motorist’s insurance policies.
House Transportation Chairman Joe Souki said representatives would agree to the Senate’s threshold for breaking the law if senators would agree to making the offense a petty misdemeanor.
Senate Transportation Chairman J. Kalani English said he and his colleagues will "consider" the compromise. The two sides will meet again at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.
About 20 Honolulu Police Department officers, many of them from the Traffic Division, watched Thursday’s proceedings.
Traffic Division Capt. Darren Izumo said he and other officers are more concerned that a bill passes than what version of the bill is approved. More important than the actual enforcement of a move-over law is more awareness by motorists of the dangers they face as they approach emergency responders that have stopped to offer assistance or investigate, he said.
English said there is already a state law requiring people to use caution when approaching emergency situations. "We’re having to restate the law to make people happy," he said.
