STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3822

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 78

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism and Ways and Means, to which was referred S.R. No. 78 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO CONDUCT A STUDY ON THE FEASIBILITY OF A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TO DESIGN, BUILD, AND OPERATE AN UNDERWATER TUNNEL TO PROVIDE A MORE DIRECT CONNECTION FOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC BETWEEN EWA AND DOWNTOWN HONOLULU, ALONG WITH THE EXPANSION OF ROADWAYS AS NECESSARY TO MAXIMIZE USE OF THE TUNNEL,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Transportation to conduct a study on the feasibility of a public-private partnership to design, build, and operate an underwater tunnel to provide a more direct connection for vehicle traffic between Ewa and Downtown Honolulu.

Prior to the hearing on this measure, your Committees posted and made available for public review a proposed S.D. 1, which deletes the contents of the measure and inserts language that:

(1) Requests the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to work in conjunction with the Legislature to create sixty thousand permanent jobs in the State by 2022; and

(2) Urges the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to submit to the Legislature a report of its recommendations, including any proposed legislation, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2021.

Your Committees received testimony in support of the proposed S.D. 1 from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and one individual.

Your Committees find that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has created an unprecedented public health and economic crisis throughout the world. In order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, the Governor issued a stay-at-home order that was in place from March 25, 2020, through May 5, 2020. Your Committees note that while this stay-at-home order was necessary in order to prevent a mass outbreak of COVID-19 in the State, the stay-at-home order had a detrimental effect on many sectors of the State's economy. Your Committees further find that Hawaii's unemployment rate is at an all-time high at 22.3 percent and many residents are expected to leave Hawaii by 2022 for better economic prospects. Your Committees believe that the creation of more jobs in the State is necessary to revitalize the State's economy, keep residents in the State, and address the high unemployment rate.

Your Committees have amended this measure by adopting the proposed S.D. 1 and further amending the measure by:

(1) Increasing the number of permanent jobs that are to be created in the State from sixty thousand to one hundred thousand;

(2) Amending its title in accordance with its amended purpose; and

(3) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 78, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 78, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism and Ways and Means,

________________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair