STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3141

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1163

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 1163, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMMERCIAL DRIVERS LICENSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to amend requirements to commercial driver's license qualification standards to meet current federal regulations to allow the State to issue a limited-term non-domiciled commercial learner's permit and non-domiciled commercial driver's license for applicants who are unable to provide proof of citizenship or lawful permanent residency.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation and Roberts Hawaii School Bus.

Your Committee finds that there are critical gaps in the State's existing framework for commercial driver's licensing. In June 2024, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration informed the State that it was not compliant with federal regulations regarding commercial driver's licensing because the State was issuing full-term commercial driver's licenses and commercial learner's permits to citizens of the Freely Associated States, which includes the Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Republic of Palau. This measure will amend the requirements for commercial driver's licensing in the State to align with current federal regulations, ensuring that only qualified individuals operate commercial motor vehicles in the State.

Your Committee notes the concern raised by the Department of Transportation that the language in this measure should be further specified to ensure consistency with federal regulations and the policy position from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for non-domiciled commercial driver's licenses and commercial learner's permits nationally. Thus, amendments to this measure are necessary to address this concern.

Your Committee has amended this measure by specifying that the State shall issue a non-domiciled commercial learner's permit or non-domiciled commercial driver's license to a person that meets certain citizenship or lawful permanent residence requirements or obtains a non-domiciled commercial learner's permit or non-domiciled commercial driver's license as provided in 49 Code of Federal Regulations, section 383.71(f).

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. 1163, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1163, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

________________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair