STAND. COM. REP. NO. 229

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1404

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts, to which was referred S.B. No. 1404 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AERONAUTICS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize the Department of Transportation Airports Division to be reimbursed from any airport contract, tenant, or user for the entire amount of fines and penalties levied for the violation of federal, state, or county laws related to environmental protection or the United States Department of Homeland Security; and

(2) Authorize the Department of Transportation Airports Division to enter into a capital advancement contract with a private party for certain public improvement or construction projects at airports statewide.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation.

Your Committee finds that over the last three years, the Transportation Security Administration fined the Department of Transportation approximately $150,000 for violations caused by tenants and contractors at state airports. Authorizing reimbursements for fines incurred from federal, state, or county agencies empowers the Department of Transportation to maximize the utilization of funds for airport improvements. Additionally, your Committee further finds that authorizing the Department of Transportation to enter into capital advancement contracts for airport improvements will allow for increased efficiency in improvement projects that will benefit all travelers at state airports. Therefore, empowering the Department of Transportation with regard to state airports allows the Department to complete projects in a timely manner while also achieving state infrastructure and policy goals.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) 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 and Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1404, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1404, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts,

________________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair