HB368 amends Hawaii’s motor vehicle window tinting law, specifically Section 291-21.5 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, to create a new medical exemption for certain sun screening devices. Under the bill, vehicles owned by persons with light sensitivity of the eyes or skin due to a medical condition may use darker tinting than otherwise allowed, so long as the person provides documentation from a licensed physician and renews that documentation every two years. The exemption applies only when the condition cannot be adequately addressed with eye protection devices.
The bill also lowers the minimum light transmittance requirements for certain front side and rear side/rear windows from 35 percent to 25 percent, plus or minus six percent, for general use. It retains existing exceptions for mirrors, visors, windshield stickers, certain windshield film, and other listed vehicle types and uses, while adding a requirement that side wing vents and side rear windows tinted beyond the standard limits be rolled down during a traffic stop. The measure is drafted as an amendment to the state’s vehicle equipment and safety rules and is set to take effect on July 1, 3000.
Impact
HB368 would directly modify Hawaii’s vehicle equipment statute governing permissible sun screening devices and window tinting, changing the legal light-transmittance thresholds for certain windows and adding a new medical exemption category. It would affect vehicle owners, tint installers, law enforcement officers enforcing tint violations, and physicians who must certify qualifying medical conditions. The bill would also create a new compliance condition during traffic stops for vehicles using the expanded tint allowance.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears generally supportive of drivers with medical light sensitivity and framed as a safety-and-equipment adjustment rather than a controversial overhaul. The report title and description emphasize exemptions for medically necessary tinting, suggesting the bill’s purpose is to accommodate health needs while preserving enforcement rules. No committee transcripts or votes were provided, so there is no recorded public debate or vote history to indicate broader support or opposition.
Contention
The main point of potential contention is the balance between medical accommodation and traffic-safety enforcement. Supporters would likely favor the added exemption for people with light sensitivity and the lower tint threshold, while opponents or enforcement-focused stakeholders might raise concerns about reduced visibility for officers and other drivers, as well as the administrative burden of verifying medical documentation every two years. The requirement to roll down tinted windows during a traffic stop also suggests an effort to address enforcement concerns.
Relating to license plates and license plate windshield insignia issued for and displayed on a vehicle; authorizing a fee; creating a criminal offense.
Adds licensed occupational therapists to the definition of "other authorized health care practitioner" for purposes of physician's statements required for disabled license plates and placards
Adds licensed occupational therapists to the definition of "other authorized health care practitioner" for purposes of physician's statements required for disabled license plates and placards
Adds licensed occupational therapists to the definition of "other authorized health care practitioner" for purposes of physician's statements required for disabled license plates and placards