STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2202

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2667

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 S.B. No. 2667 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to, in a county with a population of 500,000 or more:

(1) Restrict motor vehicles that tow a motor vehicle or trailer from diving in the far left lane on roads with three or more lanes going in the same direction with exemptions; and

(2) Specify penalties for restricted motor vehicles who drive in the far left lane on roads with three or more lanes moving in the same direction.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Transportation Association.

Your Committee finds that oversized commercial vehicles and motor vehicles towing a vehicle or trailer occupy an inordinate amount of space on roadways, hindering traffic flow and potentially creating unsafe driving conditions. Restricting these vehicles from occupying the far left lane on certain roadways will improve the flow of traffic and improve road safety and thereby reduce the risk of accidents and promote uniform lane speeds.

Your Committee notes the concern raised by the Hawaii Transportation Association that the language of this measure in its current form excessively restricts far left lane access for oversized commercial vehicles, including passenger buses, and motor vehicles towing a vehicle or trailer. Therefore, amendments to the measure are necessary to address this concern.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that a commercial vehicle or motor vehicle towing a vehicle or trailer may use the far left lane if the vehicle is able to maintain speed with existing traffic flow or is in the process of overtaking and passing another vehicle;

(2) Expanding the exemption from the prohibition on using the far left lane to all buses, including tour buses and other commercially operated passenger buses; and

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

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 S.B. No. 2667, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2667, 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