§286-5  State highway safety and modernization council.  (a)  There is established the Hawaii highway safety and modernization council.  The council shall be chaired on an annually rotating basis by a member appointed by the president of the senate and a member appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.  In addition to the member appointed by the president of the senate and member appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, the following or their designated representatives shall be members of the council:  the chief justice, the attorney general, the director of health, the superintendent of education, the executive director of the state public charter school commission, the president of the University of Hawaii, the chairperson of the University of Hawaii at Manoa department of urban and regional planning, the co-chairpersons of the Hawaii climate change mitigation and adaptation commission, the director of the office of planning and sustainable development, the chief energy officer of the Hawaii state energy office, an additional two members appointed by the president of the senate and speaker of the house of representatives, respectively, the chairperson of each of the county highway safety councils established under section 286-6, and not more than twelve other persons who shall be appointed by the governor for a three-year term as follows:

     (1)  One member from an organization representing senior citizens;

     (2)  One member from an organization representing bicyclists;

     (3)  One member from an organization having a focus on micro-mobility;

     (4)  One member from an organization having a focus on transportation, planning, and improvement;

     (5)  One member from an organization having a focus on reducing the cost of transportation for low-income communities;

     (6)  One member from an organization representing labor and construction;

     (7)  One member from an organization representing trucking and cargo carriers;

     (8)  One member from an organization having a focus on the electrification of transportation;

     (9)  One member from an organization having a focus on expanding trees and foliage and reducing urban heat;

    (10)  One member from an organization representing the automobile manufacturing industry; and

    (11)  Up to two members on the basis of their interest in transportation safety and related state goals.

     (b)  The state highway safety and modernization council shall:

     (1)  Review programs, projects, plans, and strategies related to improving safety in ground transportation in the department of transportation;

     (2)  Ensure transparency and oversight in programs, projects, decisions, and spending related to ground transportation in the department of transportation;

     (3)  Establish metrics and benchmarks for the department of transportation to ensure progress on state goals related to ground transportation, safety, and other related goals;

     (4)  Review projects in development and make recommendations for how each project might be improved, if warranted, to better meet state goals, before project plans and designs are finalized;

     (5)  Provide direction to the department of transportation and make recommendations to the legislature as necessary to ensure progress on state goals related to ground transportation, safety, and other related goals;

     (6)  Advise the governor, legislature, and public on matters relating to the programs, activities, projects, outcomes, and recommendations of the State in the field of transportation safety; and

     (7)  Submit an annual report to the department of transportation that reflects the work, responsibilities, and recommendations of the council.

     (c)  The members of the council shall serve without pay but shall be entitled to reimbursement for necessary expenses while attending meetings and while in discharge of their duties. [L 1967, c 214, pt of §2; HRS §286-5; am L Sp 1977 1st, c 20, §12; am L 1982, c 147, §13; gen ch 1993; am L 2023, c 242, §2]