STAND. COM. REP. NO. 25

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 588

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. 588 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EXCESSIVE NOISE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for the Department of Transportation, in conjunction with the City and County of Honolulu, to develop a pilot program to use noise detection traffic cameras to address excessive traffic noise in urban areas on the island of Oahu.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation and six individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General.

Your Committee finds that noise pollution is a prevalent and increasing problem in the State. Excessively loud and unabated noises can result in physiological, psychological, and economic damage. Residents of the State are entitled to a healthy and peaceful environment free from noise pollution that may be hazardous to their health or welfare. Therefore, addressing noise pollution in Hawaii's communities may alleviate some issues experienced by residents.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that the Department of Transportation will work in conjunction with counties with a population greater than five hundred thousand persons to develop the pilot program; and

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

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. 588, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 588, 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 and Culture and the Arts,

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CHRIS LEE, Chair