SB 396: RELATING TO COMMUTING.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO COMMUTING.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the State's policy of providing highly subsidized parking for state employees limits the employees' choices, does not reduce traffic congestion or greenhouse gas emissions, and contradicts state policies to encourage alternative modes of transportation.  According to the department of accounting and general services, four thousand seventy-six subsidized parking stalls are made available to state employees on Oahu, not including stalls located at the university of Hawaii or the department of education buildings.  An additional two hundred forty-three are made available on Hawaii island, two hundred seventy-eight on Maui, and one hundred fifty-one on Kauai.

     The legislature further finds that for many years the State has offered the limited option to employees to pay for monthly parking privileges at the department of accounting and general services' controlled lot located at or near the employee's workplace through pre-tax payroll deductions.  In addition to the savings for purchasing parking pre-tax, the parking privileges are offered at a rate of approximately one-third of the public rate.  For example, employee parking rates in the Honolulu downtown area range from $20 to $60 per month before any pre-tax savings, which is a fraction of the cost to park in a nearby private lot.

     Comparatively, the cost of a monthly adult bus pass on Oahu is $80 and the State does not provide a comparable bus pass benefit to its employees nor offer to all employees the ability to purchase a bus pass on a pre-tax basis.  State employees who travel to work by bicycle, foot, wheelchair or other mobility aid, or private car sharing also do not receive any transportation benefit or support even though their commuting modes reduce the number of cars driven in the State and parked in state lots.

     The legislature also finds that other jurisdictions, such as Washington, D.C., have enacted equitable transportation benefits laws and policies.  Various options, such as offering an equivalent transportation benefit that employees could select to apply to the cost of their preferred mode of transportation, could be implemented to increase parity.

     Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to require the director of human resources development, in consultation with the Hawaii climate change mitigation and adaptation commission, state energy office, and department of accounting and general services, to develop and implement a commuting choice benefit program for all state employees regardless of mode of transportation.

     SECTION 2.  (a)  The director of human resources development, in consultation with the Hawaii climate change mitigation and adaptation commission, state energy office, and department of accounting and general services, shall develop and implement a comprehensive commuting choice benefit program for all state employees regardless of mode of transportation.  The program shall include walking, rolling using a wheelchair or other mobility aid, car sharing, biking, and using public transportation, and shall encourage the use of healthy, safe, economically sound, and environmentally sustainable commuting modes.

     (b)  The director of human resources development shall submit a report on the progress made toward implementing the program to the legislature no later than forty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2026.

     SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the development and implementation of the comprehensive commuting choice benefit program.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of human resources development for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.

Report Title:

DHRD; Transportation; Commuting; State Employees; Plan; Commuting Choice Benefit Program; Report; Appropriations

Description:

Requires the Director of Human Resources Development, in consultation with the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, State Energy Office, and Department of Accounting and General Services, to develop and implement a comprehensive Commuting Choice Benefit Program for all state employees regardless of mode of transportation.  Requires a report to the Legislature.  Appropriates funds.  Effective 7/1/2050.  (SD1)

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

Relating to commuting.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the State's policy of providing highly subsidized parking for state employees limits the employees' choices, does not reduce traffic congestion or greenhouse gas emissions, and contradicts state policies to encourage alternative modes of transportation.  According to the department of accounting and general services, four thousand and seventy-six subsidized parking stalls are made available to state employees on O‘ahu, not including stalls located at the university of Hawai‘i or the department of education buildings.  An additional two hundred forty-three are made available on Hawai‘i island, two hundred seventy-eight on Maui, and one hundred fifty-one on Kaua‘i.

     The legislature further finds that for many years the State has offered the limited option to employees to pay for monthly parking privileges at the department of accounting and general services' controlled lot located at or near the employee's workplace through pre-tax payroll deductions.  In addition to the savings for purchasing parking pre-tax, the parking privileges are offered at a rate of approximately one-third of the public rate.  For example, employee parking rates in the Honolulu downtown area range from $20 to $60 per month before any pre-tax savings, which is a fraction of the cost to park in a nearby private lot.

     Comparatively, the cost of a monthly adult bus pass on O‘ahu is $80 and the State does not provide a comparable bus pass benefit to its employees nor offer to all employees the ability to purchase a bus pass on a pre-tax basis.  State employees who travel to work by bicycle, foot, wheelchair or other mobility aid, or private car sharing also do not receive any transportation benefit or support even though their commuting modes reduce the number of cars driven in the State and parked in state lots.

     The legislature also finds that other jurisdictions, such as Washington, D.C., have enacted equitable transportation benefits laws and policies.  Various options, such as offering an equivalent transportation benefit that employees could select to apply to the cost of their preferred mode of transportation, could be implemented to increase parity.

     Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to require the director of human resources development, in consultation with the Hawai‘i climate change mitigation and adaptation commission, state energy office, and department of accounting and general services, to develop and implement a commuting choice benefit program for all state employees regardless of mode of transportation.

     SECTION 2.  (a)  The director of human resources development, in consultation with the Hawaiʻi climate change mitigation and adaptation commission, state energy office, and department of accounting and general services, shall develop and implement a comprehensive commuting choice benefit program for all state employees regardless of mode of transportation.  The program shall include walking, rolling using a wheelchair or other mobility aid, car sharing, biking, and using public transportation, and shall encourage the use of healthy, safe, economically sound, and environmentally sustainable commuting modes.

     (b)  The director of human resources development shall submit a report on the progress made toward implementing the program to the legislature no later than forty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2026.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Report Title:

DHRD; Transportation; Commuting; State Employees; Plan; Commuting Choice Benefit Program; Report

Description:

Requires the Director of Human Resources Development, in consultation with the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, State Energy Office, and Department of Accounting and General Services, to develop and implement a comprehensive Commuting Choice Benefit Program for all state employees regardless of mode of transportation.  Requires a report to the Legislature.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 408

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 396

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Labor and Technology and Transportation and Culture and the Arts, to which was referred S.B. No. 396 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMMUTING,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Require the Director of Human Resources Development, in consultation with the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, State Energy Office, and Department of Accounting and General Services, to develop and implement a comprehensive Commuting Choice Benefit Program for all state employees regardless of mode of transportation; and

     (2)  Require a report to the Legislature.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, Hawaii State Energy Office, Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization, Ulupono Initiative, Coalition Earth, and one individual.

     Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Resources Development, Department of Accounting and General Services, and one individual.

     Your Committees find that subsidizing parking without also offering incentives for alternative modes of commuting for state employees contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and traffic congestion.  Not only is this policy contrary to the State's decarbonization goals, but it is also inequitable to state employees utilizing alternative transportation without any comparable benefit.  This measure offers consistency with the State's long-term goals by establishing a comprehensive Commuting Choice Benefit Program to disincentivize the use of single-occupancy vehicles.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting a blank appropriation amount for the Department of Human Resources Development to develop and implement the comprehensive Commuting Choice Benefit Program;

     (2)  Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Labor and Technology and Transportation and Culture and the Arts that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 396, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 396, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Labor and Technology and Transportation and Culture and the Arts,