H.B. 2491 Summary

• Aligns Hawaii state law penalties for commercial driver's license violations with federal penalties required under Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (49 CFR part 383).

• Updates employer penalties in Section 286-234: first violation fine capped at $100, second offense within one year capped at $300, third or subsequent offense within two years capped at $1,000.

• Replaces fine ranges with civil penalties for out-of-service order violations: $6,974-$38,612 for employers (replacing $2,750-$25,000 range) and $3,861 minimum for first driver violation and $7,723 for subsequent violations (replacing $2,500-$4,000 and $5,000-$7,500 ranges).

• Establishes new civil penalty of no more than $20,017 for employers violating railroad-highway grade crossing regulations.

• Takes effect upon approval and does not affect penalties or proceedings that began before the effective date.