STAND. COM. REP. NO. 225

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1402

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred S.B. No. 1402 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to modernize Hawaii's ground transportation infrastructure by providing metrics, considerations, and assistance to the Department of Transportation in:

(1) Creating motor vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian facilities; and

(2) Establishing a ground transportation modernization commission.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, Department of Transportation, Department of Health, Ewa Neighborhood Board #23, Hawaii Youth Climate Coalition, Ulupono Initiative, Hawaii Automobile Dealers' Association, Hawaii Bicycling League, Young Progressives Demanding Action, AARP Hawai‘i, American Heart Association, Hawai‘i Public Health Institute, and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii State Energy Office.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii's ground transportation system has historically been built as a car-centric system with little attention given to alternative forms of transportation. This has raised the cost of living, impacted quality of life, and resulted in some of the highest transportation-related fatality rates in the nation, especially in some of the poorer communities in the State. Simply adding lanes to reduce traffic does not address Hawaii's most pressing concerns regarding traffic, safety, and health. Accordingly, this measure will modernize Hawaii's ground transportation infrastructure by providing additional metrics, considerations, and assistance to the Department of Transportation in order to reduce transportation costs, minimize traffic injuries and fatalities, improve public health and quality of life, and address greenhouse gas emissions.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have established a ground transportation modernization commission;

(2) Requiring the Department of Transportation to report annually to the Legislature; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1402, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1402, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation,

________________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair