Opinion ID: 1209826
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Power to regulate insurance of Drive vehicles.

Text: Citing, inter alia, Anamizu, 52 Haw. at 553, 481 P.2d at 118, for the proposition that municipal corporations may exercise only those powers which have been delegated to them by the [s]tate legislature, Dollar maintains as a preliminary matter that HRS ch. 70 does not confer[] upon the City and County of Honolulu ... the power to regulate insurance of U-[D]rive vehicles. Dollar's opening brief at 7 (footnote omitted). Aside from the fact that Dollar failed to raise this issue as an alleged error on appeal, in violation of Hawai`i Rules of Appellate Procedure (HRAP) 28(b)(4) (1993), and, absent plain error, the issue should therefore be disregarded, HRAP 28(b) (1993), Dollar is merely recasting its essential preemption position in another form. Dollar recognizes that Honolulu, Haw., Rev. Ordinances § 12-2.1 (1990) declared that the legislative intent of the Honolulu city council, in enacting the Financial Responsibility Law, was to foster the proper protection of the health, life and property of [the city's] inhabitants and [to] preserv[e] ... good government, order and security of the city. Dollar's opening brief at 7-8. Dollar also concedes that HRS § 70-70 (1985) expressly empowered the Honolulu city council to enact and enforce all ordinances necessary to protect health, life, and property and preserve and enforce the good government, order, and security of the city and county and its inhabitants. Id. at 8. Thus, Dollar's only support for its delegation argument is the self-evident fact that HRS § 70-70 is limited by HRS § 70-105. Id. Dollar then argues that, by virtue of HRS § 70-105, the Financial Responsibility Law is preempted by HRS ch. 294. Id. Hence, we come full circle to Dollar's original position  that, in the face of HRS ch. 294, the circuit court should have found preemption [] and denied Hurip's motion for summary judgment. Id. at 7 (footnote omitted). For the reasons set forth below, Dollar's argument is without merit.