STAND. COM. REP. NO. 39-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 2566

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Culture & Arts, to which was referred H.B. No. 2566 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the issuance of special number plates for members of the Hawaii Civil Air Patrol.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the United States Air Force Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol, Hawaii Wing.

Your Committee finds that the Civil Air Patrol has played a critical role in Hawaii's emergency response efforts for over eighty years, supporting state and federal agencies with search and rescue missions, disaster assessments, aerial photography, and public alerts. Their contributions during events such as the Kilauea eruptions and 2023 Maui wildfires have proven essential to public safety and disaster recovery. Despite carrying identification, members of the Civil Air Patrol may face delays in reaching incident sites due to road closures or access restrictions. This measure seeks to address that challenge by authorizing the creation of Civil Air Patrol special number plates, enabling law enforcement and other first responders to more readily identify members and facilitate their timely movement during crisis situations.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

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

(2) 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 Culture & Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2566, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2566, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Public Safety.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Culture & Arts,

____________________________

JEANNE KAPELA, Chair