Bill Text: HI HB64 | 2010 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Noise; Yard Equipment

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-05-11 - Carried over to 2010 Regular Session. [HB64 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-HB64-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO.  302

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

 

RE:   H.B. No. 64

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 64 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NOISE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to limit the noise generated by leaf blowers to reasonable hours.

 

     Specifically, this bill expands the criminal offense of disorderly conduct to include the use of leaf blowers during the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. on any day of the week.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this bill from one individual.

 

     Your Committee finds that the prohibition against the use of leaf blowers should be broadened to include other yard equipment that also generate unreasonable noise such as chainsaws, lawn mowers, and weed whackers.

 

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

(1)  More extensively defining the term "leaf blower" as a gasoline or electric powered tool that propels air out of a nozzle commonly used to move leaves or debris, and includes leaf blower vacuum units that act like a vacuum cleaner by sucking in leaves or debris through the nozzle, to be deposited into an attached disposal bag; and

 

(2)  Adding and defining the following yard tools that also generate unreasonable noise:

 

(a)  Lawn mower, which is a gasoline or electric powered yard tool that has one or more revolving blades intended to cut a lawn or grass at an even length;

 

(b)  Weed whacker, which is a gasoline or electric powered yard tool that uses either a:

 

(A)  Flexible monofilament line (also known as a string or line trimmer); or

 

          (B)  Revolving metal cutting blade,

 

intended to cut or trim grass and other vegetation; and

 

(c)  Chainsaw, which is a gasoline or electric powered saw having a fast revolving chain of metal teeth commonly used to cut trees and branches.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 64, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 64, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

 

 

		____________________________ HERMINA MORITA, Chair