HB 334 Hawaii House · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO TRAFFIC CITATIONS.

HB 334 makes intentional destruction or damage to traffic cameras a class C felony, effective July 1, 3000. This bill directly affects individuals who deliberately tamper with or destroy traffic enforcement cameras. The key provision upgrades penalties for such acts from lesser offenses to a felony charge, increasing legal consequences for damaging public safety infrastructure. The bill is currently moving through committee with a favorable recommendation.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 16, 2025 Last action Feb 14, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

HB334 → HB334_HD1 · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was significantly simplified and altered during committee review. The original version authorized the Department of Law Enforcement to install and operate traffic cameras, set up public education campaigns, and allowed mail-in citations for certain violations. The revised version removes all provisions related to establishing and operating traffic cameras, leaving only a definition of what constitutes a traffic camera and a penalty for destroying one.

Scope change

The bill's scope was drastically reduced from authorizing the creation and operation of a traffic camera program to only establishing a penalty for damaging such cameras.

REQUIREMENT

Removed authority for the Department of Law Enforcement to establish, install, and operate traffic cameras.

Removed requirements for public education campaigns and warning periods before cameras become operational.

ENFORCEMENT

Removed provisions allowing traffic citations to be issued by mail for certain violations.

Added a penalty provision stating that knowingly destroying or damaging a traffic camera is a class C felony.

DEFINITION

Changed the definition of 'traffic camera' from cameras owned by the Department of Law Enforcement to any camera owned and operated by a state or county agency.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date from upon approval to July 1, 3000.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 14, 2025

Committee

Reported from TRN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 705) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

lower

Feb 13, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on TRN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Kila, Grandinetti, La Chica, Miyake, Muraoka, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 3 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran, Evslin, Kitagawa.

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to TRN, JHA, referral sheet 1

lower

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 16, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

7 primary · 1 co-sponsor