STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3506

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 139

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 139 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING A TASK FORCE BE CONVENED TO DEVELOP OPTIONS TO REDUCE COST AND RETURN INCREASED VALUE TO RESIDENTS FROM FUNDS MADE AVAILABLE BY THE STATE FOR PUBLIC MASS TRANSIT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request a task force be convened to examine successful public mass transit projects in appropriate cities and countries and develop options to reduce costs and return increased value to Hawaii residents from funds made available by the State for public mass transit.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, Hawaiʻi Bicycling League, Ulupono Initiative, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that public transit is important because it has been proven to reduce the cost of transit for taxpayers, reduce the cost of transit for commuters, reduce traffic, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase efficiency, increase access to new areas in the urban core for housing and mixed use communities, and increase jobs. Your Committee further finds that Hawaii has appropriated funds for public mass transit projects such as the City and County of Honolulu's Skyline project through the general excise tax, approximately two-thirds of which is paid for by the general public, and approximately one-third of which is paid for by visitors to Hawaii. Your Committee concludes that a task force to study cost reduction is vital for future public transit projects to help reduce costs and increase the value to residents from funds made available by the State.

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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 139 and recommends its adoption.

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

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CHRIS LEE, Chair