RELATING TO VEHICLES.

SB502

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

502

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to vehicles
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION
1
.
�
Section 286-12, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending subsections (a) and (b) to read as follows:

����
"(a)
�

All-terrain vehicles and utility-terrain vehicles may be operated on a
street, as defined in section 291C-1; provided that the all-terrain vehicle or
utility-terrain vehicle is:

����
(1)
�
Used as farm equipment, or used by a
city, county, or state worker while acting within the scope of that person's
official duties;

����
(2)
�
Operated by a person who holds a
current [
category (3)
] driver's license under section 286-102 [
or a
commercial driver's license under part XIII
];

����
(3)
�
Driven on streets [
that are no more
than two lanes,
]
or roads that are adjacent to farmland
with posted
speed limits of [
no
]
not
more than [
thirty-five
]
forty-five

miles per hour;

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(4)
�
Used to travel
alongside or

between properties zoned for agriculture[
,
]
and used for agricultural
activity purposes,
or used by a city, county, or state worker while acting
within the scope of that person's official duties to travel between properties
under the jurisdiction of the city, county, or State;

����
(5)
�
Used in counties with populations of
less than five hundred thousand residents; and

����
(6)
�
Driven on streets during daylight
hours;
provided further that all-terrain vehicles may be driven on streets
during evening and night hours only if equipped with headlights, tail lights,
and while displaying a slow moving vehicle emblem
;

provided further that while in operation, any
operator
and passenger of an all-terrain vehicle or utility-terrain vehicle [
shall
]

may
wear a safety helmet with a securely fastened chin strap that meets
the specifications and requirements established by rules adopted by the director.

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(b)
�
For purposes of this section:

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"All-terrain
vehicle" means a motor vehicle that:

����
(1)
�
Is designed for off-highway operation
by a single operator carrying no more than one passenger, if so designed as
provided in paragraph (5) of this definition;

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(2)
�
Is fifty inches or less in width;

����
(3)
�
Has an unladen weight of nine hundred
pounds or less;

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(4)
�
Is suspended on three or more tires;

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(5)
�
Has a single seat designed to be
straddled by the operator, or a single seat designed to be straddled by the
operator and a seat for not more than one passenger sitting behind the
operator; and

����
(6)
�
Has handlebars for steering control.

����
"Farm
equipment" refers to any kind of machinery used on a farm to help with
farming, including but not limited to a tractor, cultivator, plow, all-terrain
vehicle, or utility-terrain vehicle.

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"Utility-terrain
vehicle" means a motor vehicle that:

����
(1)
�
Is designed to be operated off highway;

����
(2)
�
Is sixty inches or less in width;

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(3)
�
Has an unladen weight of one thousand
three hundred pounds or less;

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(4)
�
Is suspended on four to six tires;

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(5)
�
Has a steering wheel for steering
control;

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(6)
�
Is e
quipped with roll-over protection;

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(7)
�
Accommodates one driver and one
passenger sitting side-by-side[
;
]
and up to six people in seat belts;

and

����
(8)
�
Is equipped with seat belts for driver
and passenger protection.

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(c)
�
Any person who violates this section shall be
fined $250 for each violation.

����
(d)
�
All-terrain vehicles and utility-terrain
vehicles used as farm equipment shall be regulated as farm equipment and not as
motor vehicles.

����
(e)
�
All-terrain vehicles and utility-terrain
vehicles used by a city, county, or state worker while acting within the scope
of that person's official duties shall not be regulated as motor
vehicles."

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SECTION 2.
�

Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory material is underscored.

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SECTION 3.
�

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

All-Terrain Vehicles; Highways; Drivers; Equipment;
Agriculture

Description:

Allows
all-terrain vehicle to drive on streets with posted speed limits of not more
than forty-five miles per hour.
�
Allows
all-terrain vehicles to drive in the evening and night if they are equipped
with headlights, tail lights, and while displaying a slow moving vehicle emblem.
�
Allows drivers of all-terrain vehicles to
wear a safety helmet with a securely fastened chin strap.
�
Includes in the definition of
"utility-terrain vehicle" a motor vehicle that accommodates one
driver and one passenger sitting side-by-side, and up to six people in seat
belts.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.