Hawaii Car Audio Bill Deferred Indefinitely

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A bill that would essentially ban car audio in Hawaii has been deferred indefinitely in committee and will not go to the House floor for a vote.

A second bill that would ban car alarms in Hawaii is still pending.

During a hearing today by Hawaii’s House Transportation Committee the car audio bill HB 1178 was vigorously opposed by many local car electronics retailers numbering 50 to 100, by different accounts.

Only a small group of citizens spoke in favor of the bill, claiming that noise from loud cars was intrusive, according to two local manufacturers reps.

A spokesman for the Consumer Electronics Association also confirmed that the bill was killed in committee. Technically it was ruled as deferred indefinitely, he said. CEA will issue a statement shortly.

The bill would have banned the installation or use of car stereo speakers larger than 6.5 inches or with more than 100 watts of power handling.

One rep said the bill’s sponsor, representative Marcus Oshiro (D) may reintroduce a new bill to address excessive noise. We are told that he plans to consult with members of the car electronics industry before reintroducing a bill.

The bill created an industry uproar as it could cause local retailers to go out of business, and because the industry had no warning that it was up for passage.

With only two days notice, the industry was able to mobilize, however, and mount an effective opposition.

No word yet on a coordinated campaign to oppose the Hawaii car alarm bill HB 63.

Source: CEoutlookBill to ban car audio in Hawaii killed

Update! CEA’s Statement:
“CEA commends the Transportation Committee of the Hawaii State Assembly for preserving Hawaiians’ ability to enjoy their mobile audio products. “The proposed legislation would have negatively impacted Hawaiian businesses and eliminated jobs just as the state is emerging from the worst recession in recent memory. It also would have cost the state significant tax revenues generated through the sale and installation of aftermarket speakers and subwoofers.”

“CEA supports the responsible use of consumer electronics in a safe listening environment. As Hawaii properly recognized, enforcement of existing noise ordinance statues is preferable to banning an entire class of legal technology products.”

Link to story in Honolulu Star Advertiser.

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19 Comments

  1. Wow, it’s so great to hear that there is nothing happening of importance in Hawaii so that legislators have extra time on their hands to work on this issue! This could so easily be handled by just dealing with the extreme clowns that play music so loud in their cars that they can turn off the engine and let the thumping bass drive them down the road. Why punish everyone?!?
    “These loud boom car systems are costing Hawaii Tourism Dollars too.” Really? I’ve never heard ANYONE say they won’t go back to Hawaii because of loud stereo music- has anyone else? You can hear the occasional abuser anywhere but it’s so rare I’ve never thought of a ban! And most places there are already laws governing the level of sound so no need to ban the size of units sold.
    So let me get this straight- we can kill unborn babies but not sell stereos of a certain size- that might hurt someone. Yeah!

  2. So Jimmee you want to punish everyone because of a few. I do not like bass thumping sounds but do enjoy music at high volume in my car. If the bill would have passed even my wifes 2011 Avalon would not be allowed on the road as it has a 280 watt 11 speaker system with an 8″ subwoofer! all from the factory. Get real.

  3. blaring music is noise pollution. eventually laws will be passed to deal with this annoyance. i look forward to that day.
    if people can’t behave themselves, give em a ticket!

  4. Dear Mr. Wiplash, I suppose that makes all gun owners criminals, drug dealers, thieves, and hoodlums too, right? How DARE you say “it is folks like you who are costing Americans the freedoms our ansestors died to protect.” You sir support an agenda to limit freedom. Please don;t let the door hit you on the way out.

  5. prostitution and selling illegal drugs are small businesses and at least we have the sense to ban those activities. You folks are selfish and bullies who force your music down the throats of the rest of society. A ban will eventually pass so i suggest you find a job as a janitor cleaning toilets since you don’t have to have good hearing for that. You talk about freedom, it is folks like you who are costing Americans the freedoms our ansestors died to protect. Shame on you! You don’t even live here in Hawaii. These loud boom car systems are costing Hawaii Tourism Dollars too.

  6. What really needs to be outlawed….STUPID people. Can we get a bill going for that? Then everyone with common sense can get some important things done. Stop wasting peoples time and money.

  7. Our industry owes a huge debt of gratitude to our brothers in Hawaii for rallying with only two days notice and even testifying in front of the Hawaii House Transporation Committee. Imagine…if this bill passed the House and Senate to become law, it would have set a precedent that could have allowed for similar laws to be enacted across the country. It would have been Lights Out for the 12 Volt industry.

    Our Hawaiian brothers are invited to a nice dinner on your next visit to the Mainland or on my next visit to the Islands. Let’s set this up for real! We got each other’s numbers…

  8. It’s to bad people with common sense have to waste there time with such stupid bills like this. How much time and money was wasted with this great idea?

  9. WELL DONE!!!! This is a win for the 12 volt industry in Hawaii.. And a warning to the rest of the country to be aware of these type of propositions in your own back yard.. Heres an idea for representative Marcus Oshiro (D), put forth a $1000 fine for noise violations…

  10. Really??? isn’t there better things to pass a bill on? thats smart lets take away more jobs from our economy. lets all play our violins for the soon to be suicide victim that can’t stand to listen to someone else’s stereo for the fifteen seconds it takes for them to drive by. but atleast it didn’t pass:)

  11. Well done! Now we need to educate the customer on sound quality not just qantity. Get em a great sounding system and they wont have to try to hit 165db….

    If we can’t then I’m buying stock in hearing aids….lol

  12. Thank you everyone for your help & support! Just to clarify, there was nobody at the hearing today who officially testified in support of the bill. There was one person outside who was talking to the news that he was in support of it, but he declined to testify in front of the representatives.

  13. Thrilled to hear this was taken care of….and in such a timely manner. We had something similar to this in St. Louis, MO a few years back that did not pass as well. A big thank you goes out to all the individuals who wrote in to educate others to what the real issue is. It’s great to know there are so many that really care.

  14. Great Job I knew we couldn’t let a stupid bill
    like this get passed. See it was A democrat
    trying to ruin the ecconomy have they not
    destroyed it already.
    he did not even think what this would do
    to Hawaii but still they put it out there.
    Hawaii smarten up and votre this guy out of
    office or he will come up with something else
    and you still have the alrm issue comming up
    sometime soon and hopefully this will goes as good
    as this did.

  15. TO: Hawaii retailers, Karl Kawachi of Proline Hawaii, Amy Gilroy CEOutlook, other journalists, industry voices…

    WELL DONE!!!

    Ray Windsor
    German Maestro

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