STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1172-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1696

H.D. 2

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1696, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Lower the age of who may drive commercially within the State from nineteen to eighteen;

(2) Repeal the requirement that the person only operate category 3 vehicles to qualify to drive commercially in the State; and

(3) Require the Department of Transportation to amend its rules to lower the minimum age required for an intrastate commercial driver's license.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation; Department of Customer Services of the City and County of Honolulu; Pacific Biodiesel Technologies; Hawaii Transportation Association; Hawaiian Council; and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that the State continues to experience a shortage of commercial drivers, affecting freight movement, supply chains, and essential services. Your Committee further finds that current age based restrictions limit entry into the commercial driving workforce despite existing federal intrastate allowances, reducing opportunities for qualified young adults and creating barriers for industries dependent on commercial driver license certified workers. This measure aims to strengthen Hawaii's workforce and supports the long term stability of the State's transportation and logistics sectors.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring an applicant's employer to provide a minimum of three hundred twenty hours of additional training to an applicant; 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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1696, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1696, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair