STAND. COM. REP. NO. 45-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2673

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. 2673 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ROADS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Permit counties to use county surcharge revenues for the maintenance of privately-owned roadways that are open to the public; and

(2) Require fuel tax revenues to be used for the reconstruction, improvement, repair, and maintenance of privately-owned roadways that are open to the public.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Pu‘u‘ā Community and Road Association; GaiaYoga Gardens; Hawaiian Paradise Park Owners Association; and three individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Tax Foundation of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that there are numerous privately-owned roadways that are open to the public with varying degrees of maintenance, repair, and general upkeep. The maintenance of these roadways falls on private individuals or groups of private individuals regardless of how often the roadway is utilized by the public. This measure would greatly assist the counties in ensuring the roadways remain safe and traversable.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language that details its public purpose;

(2) Inserting language clarifying that the use of county surcharge revenues for privately-owned roads is in addition to any other required uses of county surcharge revenues;

(3) Including flood mitigation of roadways as an allowable use for the maintenance of privately-owned roadways that are open to the public;

(4) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

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. 2673, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2673, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

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

____________________________

CHRIS TODD, Chair