HB 88-TVS AND MONITORS IN MOTOR VEHICLES 9:49:25 AM CHAIR LYNN announced that the last order of business was HOUSE BILL NO. 88, "An Act relating to televisions, monitors, portable computers, and similar devices in motor vehicles; and providing for an effective date." 9:50:20 AM MICHAEL X. CAMMISA, Director, Safety, Technical Affairs, Association of International Automobile Manufacturers (AIAM), said AIAM is a trade association representing 14 motor vehicle manufacturers that account for over 40 percent of all light duty vehicles produced annually in the U.S. He continued with his testimony as follows: Our members include Aston Martin, Ferrari, Honda, Hyundai, Isuzu, Kia, Maserati, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot, Renault, Subaru, Suzuki, and Toyota. I'd like to thank the committee for inviting me to participate in this hearing on the important issue of driver distraction from video displays in motor vehicles. AIAM wishes to support your process of developing legislation intended to prevent operators of motor vehicles from watching television, video, and other entertainment programming while driving. AIAM supports your goal of trying to keep drivers from being distracted by viewing images unrelated to the driving task. ... We have developed some model language that we believe accomplishes this goal, while addressing two main concerns, which are: One, we want to ensure that new state requirements do not inadvertently prohibit technology that can assist the driver in the driving task, ... such as navigation systems, ... vehicle information displays, and technology for monitoring forward, rear, and side views to help the driver maneuvering the vehicle. ... These devices also make use of video or image display devices. Likewise, we'd like to see that the legislation does not inadvertently prohibit image display devices that have been designed with appropriate safeguards that are intended to prevent the driver from watching the images while the vehicle is in motion. And then our second concern is it's our hope that states passing legislation to address this issue will adopt clear and consistent requirements: clear, so that the vehicle manufacturers will know what the rules are when designing the vehicles; and consistent, so that the same vehicles can be sold and driven throughout the country. MR. CAMMISA offered to answer questions. 9:52:54 AM MR. CAMMISA, in response to Representative Gruenberg, said AIAM essentially supports HB 88; however, he noted that he "provided a few markups to the language" to Representative Gruenberg's staff to clarify the language without changing its intent. 9:53:35 AM JAY LANDERS, Senior Director, Government Affairs, Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA), said the RVIA represents approximately 98 percent of all recreational vehicle (RV) manufacturers. He said the RVIA has worked closely not only with [the AIAM] but also with the Consumer Electronics Association to try to develop language that would satisfy the concerns of all involved. He said that similar to "the car manufacturers," the RVIA is looking for "uniformity among the states." He indicated that prior bills passed into law have "succeeded with this concern so far." He relayed that there are RVs that already have televisions "up front." He explained that an interlock device has been installed in those models so that the instant the RV's ignition is engaged, the circuit to those televisions is cut automatically, which makes it impossible to view the television screens while driving. He stated, "... We're not supportive of any kind of handheld movie device sitting on the ... passenger's side ...." He said he believes HB 88 addresses RVIA's concern. [HB 88 was heard and held.]