The Hawaii House Judiciary Committee passed a bill today that will make it a crime to obstruct a bus stop.

The proposed law is targeted at homeless people and others who sleep on the benches.

The original bill would make it illegal to lay across the bench or any one seat at a bus stop. Not wanting to inadvertently ensnare big-bottomed people, Judiciary Chair Karl Rhoads recommended the committee amend the bill to any two seats.

Rep. Bob McDermott joked about changing the bill to ensure fat people didn’t get cited for disorderly conduct by taking up more than one seat.

But his tone became serious when commenting on the overall bill’s purpose of clearing out the homeless from bus stops.

“We’re chasing them out of everywhere,” he said. “I feel kind of bad for them.”

The bill is heading to the full House for a vote.

— Nathan Eagle