STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2987

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2896

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 Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2896, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent 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 a person only operates category 3 vehicles to drive commercially in the State;

(3) Prohibit a person under twenty-one years of age from operating a commercial motor vehicle outside of state-approved commercial driver training programs or registered apprenticeship programs as determined by the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; and

(4) Require the Department of Transportation to consult with the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to amend its rules to allow persons under twenty-one years of age to operate a commercial motor vehicle under certain conditions.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Department of Customer Services of the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii Transportation Association, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that there is currently a shortage of commercial drivers in the State. Lowering the minimum age for individuals in the State who may drive commercially would expand the pool of eligible commercial drivers in the State. This measure will promote workforce development without sacrificing public safety.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2896, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

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KARL RHOADS, Chair