STAND. COM. REP. NO. 340-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2270

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 2270 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a task force to develop and explore alternative routes into and out of the Waianae Coast, including through Kolekole pass and opening Waianae Coast emergency access road.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation; Hawaii Military Affairs Council; and numerous individuals.

Your Committee finds that the Kolekole Pass on the westside of Oahu is currently in disrepair and not equipped for traffic. The pass is operated under agreement with the United States military and access is limited to use by emergency vehicles or as a civilian evacuation route. Your Committee further finds that the westside of Oahu has limited access roads and would greatly benefit from alternative routes of travel. Your Committee believes that repairing, maintaining, and reconstructing the Kolekole Pass for two-way traffic will improve public safety as the Pass can serve as a means of providing emergency evacuation for Waianae Coast residents in cases of wildfire or other disasters and may ease traffic congestion in the area.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Removing as unnecessary a reference to the State Ethics Code, as the State Ethics Commission's longstanding practice is to exclude the activities of task force members from the general provisions of the Code; and

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

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 H.B. No. 2270, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2270, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

CHRIS TODD, Chair