House Standing Committee on Transportation

Good morning. Convening the House Committee on Transportation for our Thursday, April 10th agenda at 10:00 AM, here at the Hawaii State Capitol, conference room 430. Just some quick housekeeping. In order to allow as many people to testify as possible, there will be a two-minute time limit per testifier.

Because morning hearings must adjourn prior to floor session, not all testifiers may have the opportunity to testify. In that event, please know that your written testimony will be considered by the Committee. For those on Zoom, please keep yourself muted and your video off while waiting to testify and after your testimony is complete.

The Zoom chat function will allow you to chat with the technical staff only. Please use that chat for technical issues only. If you're disconnected unexpectedly, you may attempt to rejoin the meeting. If disconnected while presenting testimony, you may be allowed to continue if time permits.

Please note that the House is not responsible for any bad Internet connections on the testifier's end and in the event of a network failure, it may be necessary to reschedule the hearing or schedule a meeting for decision making. In that case, an appropriate notice will be posted.

Please avoid using any trademarked or copyrighted images and please refrain from profanity or uncivil behavior as such behavior may be grounds for removal from the hearing without the ability to reach point. Okay, we are hearing resolutions today and we're beginning with SCR 23.

Requesting the Department of Transportation and Department of Law Enforcement to study the possibility of a Highway Patrol and speed cameras along major freeways and highways in primary areas of speeding. Representative Miyake for the testimony.

Thank you, Chair. Department of Transportation, in support, on Zoom.

Hi, good after—good afternoon. Good morning, Chair, Vice Chair. Robin Shisido with HDOT and we stand by our written testimony in support. Thank you.

Thank you. Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization in support. Five individuals in opposition. Oh, Ari Yonemura on Zoom. Not present. Anyone else online or in person wishing to testify on this matter before us? Seeing none, Chair.

Any questions? Okay. Seeing none. Moving on to SCR 37, requesting the Department of Transportation and Department of Transportation of the County of Maui to collaborate with the Kihei Community Association in the planning and implementation of the Kihei Mauka Road Project. Representative Miyake for the testimony.

Department of Transportation in support.

Hi, Robert, HDOT. We stand by our written testimony. Thank you.

Thank you. Kihei Community Association, Mike Moran, in support.

Good morning, Chair. Mike Moran for the Kihei Community Association. We're an all-volunteer nonprofit community association and we speak in strong support of the measure. Mahalo for the opportunity.

Thank you, Mike. And two individuals also in support. Anyone else online or in person wishing to testify? Seeing none, Chair.

Thank you. Questions? Okay. Moving on to SCR 38, urging the County of Maui to prioritize the development and planning of the northern terminus of the Kihei North South Collector Road. Testimony?

Kihei Community Association, Mike Moran, in support.

Pretty much ditto just what I said. We just need transportation infrastructure desperately, so we ask for support on this one as well. Mahalo.

Mahalo, Mike. And two individuals also in support. Anyone else online or in person wishing to testify? Seeing none, Chair.

Thank you. Questions? Okay. SCR 150, SD 1, requesting the Department of Transportation to convene a working group to develop and recommend federal, state, and county programs subsidizing the transport of waterborne cargo. Testimony?

Department of Transportation in support.

Yep. Robin on the—for DOT, standing by our written testimony. Thank you.

Thank you. Hawaii Department of Agriculture in support.

Thank you, Chair, Rep. Miyake. Matthew Loke, on behalf of the Department of Agriculture. The Department stands on his written testimony submitted in support. We appreciate the opportunity to testify, and I'd be happy to answer questions. Thank you.

Thank you. Young Brothers, Chris Nakagawa, in support. Not present. Hawaii Food Industry Association in support, on Zoom. Not present. Hawaii Cattlemen's Council in support and one individual in support. Anyone else online or in person wishing to testify? Seeing none, Chair.

Thank you. Questions?

No.

Okay, great. Okay, got you. Thanks. Okay, Moving on to SCR153. Requesting the County of Maui to fulfill its agree with the state and resolve long standing jurisdictional ambiguities by completing the transfer of the Hui roads, including Hui Road F from the judiciary testimony.

We got the judiciary in support and one individual in support. Anyone else online wishing to or in person wishing to testify on SCR153? Sign.

Thank you. Questions? SCR 180, SD 1, requesting the Department of Transportation to share information on the safety and performance of commercial tour operators to help residents and visitors make informed decisions. Testimony?

Department of Transportation in opposition.

Good morning, Chair and Members of the Committee. Curt Otaguro, Deputy Director. We stand by our written testimony in opposition and be happy to answer questions. Thank you.

Thank you. Jack Harder, Helicopters, in opposition. Vertical Aviation International in opposition. Blue Hawaiian Helicopters in support and one individual in support. Anyone else online or in person wishing to testify? Oh. Please state your name and your position.

Rich Millazar, testifying on behalf of Blue Hawaiian Helicopters. We testify in support. Thank you for hearing this measure. I just would like to emphasize—sorry, this, this podium is like really small. You know, I, I would like to emphasize that there was a crash in 2019.

Four people died in Kailua. There was another crash in Kauai in the same year. Seven people died there. This is not just people who are in the tours themselves or just the pilots. If a helicopter crashes into a residential community, people could die there, too.

So, 40 people have died since 2000, and really that number should be zero. So, the first step to really starting to get those numbers to zero would be getting better information and that's what this reso does. So, appreciate you guys hearing it. Let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you, Richman. Anyone else online or in person wishing to testify? Seeing none, Chair.

Thank you. Moving on to questions.

No questions.

I have a quick question for DOT. Hi. I understand FAA has oversight over to our operators, but in your testimony, you talk about working on a public online dashboard. Do you not see the report as kind of aligned with the information you're already trying to provide to the public through that dashboard?

We technically have no jurisdiction over this, Chair. As clearly said, it's preemptive. I don't disagree with was just said. One accident is too many, and we absolutely are working with the industry to ensure that safety is paramount. Enforcement is really the key. Information can be all over the place, but enforcement is what we got to enforce upon.

Communicate training and all those things. The dashboard that we're working on is something that we're building towards and to collect information that would be relevant. Regardless of this measure, we just feel that as DOT, we're obligated to provide information that would help.

But in terms of passing a resolution or law, we're unable to support that because it's not allowed by FAA.

Okay, thank you. Anything else? Okay, moving on to the next measure, SCR 181, urging the Department of Transportation to establish a working group on lowering the legal limit of blood alcohol concentration to 0.05g of alcohol per 100ml of blood with the intent of prioritizing safety and saving lives on Hawaii's roads. Testimony?

Department of Transportation in support.

Hi, Robin with the DOT. We stand by our written testimony in support. Thank you.

Thank you. Office of the Governor in support. Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition in support. Hawaii Public Health Institute, in support, on Zoom. Not present. Mothers Against Drunk Driving Hawaii in support. And one individual in opposition. Anyone else online or in person wishing to testify?

I believe it was for Hawaii Alcohol Policy Alliance. It was submitted probably for the...

Hawaii Public Health incident. Oh, okay.

That's better, and we stand by our written testimony.

Okay, thank you very much. Anyone else online or in person wishing to testify on SCR 181? Seeing none, Chair.

Thank you. Questions?

No.

Okay. Moving on to SCR 182, encouraging the city and County of Honolulu to initiate a summer streets pilot program. Miyake for the Testimony.

Department of Health and support. Thank you very much. Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization and support, Hawaii Bicycling, Hawaii Bicycling League in support.

Good morning, Chair, Vice Chair, Members of the Committee, thank you for this opportunity to testify on this really important conversation. I'd also like to thank the Vice Chair for leading a related effort for a House Concurrent Resolution on this topic as well. And Hawaii Bicycling has been supporting that.

This conversation is really important at this time because we've been having an epidemic of deaths on our roadway this year. We have noticed a serious uptick, particularly for vulnerable road users.

And we we arrived at this measure today because a related Bill was introduced before this chamber, before this Committee, and a measure was taken without any testimony in support for it to exclude Oahu.

And subsequently that measure has earned wide support from the Department of Health, the Director of Transportation, many individuals and communities, all of whom express similarly the need to include Oahu as part of this pilot program for open streets. Recently the House issued a message. I wasn't able to hear what that message.

I find it online or so I'm not sure what it was. But the House expressed the disagreement with Senate amendments to House Bill 1260. So if the and the Senate amended, the Senate took out that exclusion for Oahu.

So if that's the reason for the I urgently ask this Committee and this to vote to include Oahu as this Concurrent Resolution does, as the, as the Concurrent Resolution that you authored does and has support. But we just came back from Washington, D.C.

and there was really terrible news from the Department of Transportation that they're coming for our bike lanes and they're deprioritizing things that have to do with walking and biking.

And so that's why at this time it's really critically important for, for the Legislature to do what you can to support biking and walking and making it safer for everyone. Thank you for the opportunity to testify. I'm happy to answer any questions.

Thank you. We also got Hawaii Public Health Institute in support and one individual in support. Anyone else online or in person wishing to testify on SCR182? Seeing none.

Chair, thank you. Questions?

No questions.

Just wanted to clarify. When it's disagree, it just means the House and Senate versions are different. So it's going on to conference. So the conversation just keeps going.

Okay, Moving on to SCR184 requesting each county Police Department to increase enforcement against out of state vehicles operating on public roadways that have not been properly registered in the appropriate county. Representative Miyake for the testimony.

We got one individual in support. Anyone else online or in person wishing to testify on SCR184? Seeing none. Chair.

Thank you.

SCR200 SD1 request requesting the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization to continue transportation management training programs that focus on educating key decision makers responsible for transportation policy planning, funding and implementation. Rep. Miyake for the testimony.

Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization in support and one individual in support. Anyone else online or in person wishing to testify on SCR 200 signature.

Questions?

No questions.

Moving on to final measure. SCR 231SD1 requesting the Department of Transportation to install and utilize electronic scanning equipment at each state airport and harbor to scan for illegal fireworks. Rep. Miyake for the testamony.

Department of Transportation and support on Zoom. Department of Transportation in support on Zoom. There he is.

Sorry about that little technical difficulty. Department standards on its written testimony. In support again. Colonel to grow. Deputy Director for dot. Happy to answer questions.

Thank you. Deputy Director and one individual in support. Anyone else online or in person wishing to testify on SCR231 seeing that Chair, thank you.

Questions?

No questions.

Okay, we are going to recess to get quorum. Thank you.

Reconvening the House Committee on Transportation. We will be voting on Senate resolutions starting with SCR23. Recommendation is to pass as is discussion? Okay. Chair for the vote.

Thank you. Members voting on SCR 23. The Chair's recommendations to pass as is. [Roll Call] Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. Moving on to SCR 37. Recommendation is to pass out as an HD changing all references to the Department of Transportation of the County of Maui to Maui County Department of Public Works. Because that is the Department with jurisdiction over county roads in Maui. Any discussion?

Real quick. Thank you. Chair. Correct. I worked for the County of Maui and the roadways are administered by the Department of Public Works. So thank you.

Thank you so much. Chair for the vote.

Members voting SCR 37 the Chairs recommendations pass with amendments and adopt the HD1 during the presence of the previous Members and excused. Absence of the previous Members will be excused for remainder of the hearing. Any Members wishing to vote reservations or no? Seeing none. Chair recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. SCR 38 SD1 urging the County of oh. Urging the County of Maui to prioritize the development and planning of the northern terminus of the Kihei North South Collector Road. Recommendation is to pass as is discussion? Seeing None. Chair for the vote.

Thank you Members voting. As is. Thank you Members voting SCR 38 SD1 the Chair's recommendation is to pass on amended and adopt as is. Any Members wishing to vote reservations or no? Seeing none. Chair recommendations adopted.

Okay, moving on to SCR150 SD1. The recommendation on this one is to defer after discussing with parties the parties involved you just thinking this one needs further conversation.

And so Moving on to SCR 153 recommendation is to pass as an HD again changing the reference to the to the Director of Transportation of the County of Maui to Director of Public Works of the County of Maui because that's the Department with jurisdiction over roads in Maui. Discussion Yeah. Okay seeing none. Chair for the vote.

Okay Members SCR 153 the Chair's recommendation is to pass those amendments and adopt the HD1. Any Members issue with reservations or no?Seeing none. Chair recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. Moving on to SCR180 SD1 recommendation is passes in HD amending page 3 line 27 to clarify that DOT is requested to share information on helicopter and air tours not all commercial to our operators and then also making technical amendments for clarity, consistency and style. Discussion? Seeing none. Chair for the vote.

All right Members SCR180 SD1 the Chair's recommendations to pass with amendments and adopt the HD1 Members anyone which you vote reservations or no seeing non chair recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. Moving on to SCR181 SD1 Moving out as an HD Designating the Director of the Department of Transportation or their designate designee as Chairperson for the working group. And this is just so that the Chairperson is able to invite the private Members as requested in the reso.

And then we'll also be adding the Chairs of the House and Senate Transportation Committees or their designees. Any discussion? Seeing none. Chair for the vote.

Thank you Chair SCR181 SD1 the Chair's recommendations to pass with amendments and adopt the HD1 Members. They will receive reservations or no? Seeing none. Chair recommendation is adopted.

Thank you SCR 182 we'll move this out as is discussion? Chair for the vote.

Thank you Members voting on SCR182 the chairs recommendation is a pass and amended as is anyone wishing to vote with reservations or no? Seeing none. Chair recommendation is adopted. Thank you.

Moving on to SCR184. A recommendation is to move out as is any discussion?Seeing none. Chair for the vote.

Thank you, Members Chair's recommendation on SCR 184. So pass unamended as is. Any Members wishing about reservations or no? We called the vote on that one. Take a recess.

Okay. Recess reconvening. House Committee on Transportation. We're going to finish up the vote for SCR184. Recommendation is to pass as is. Chair for the vote.

Thank you, Members. SCR184 Chairs recommendations to pass unamended as is. Any Members issue to vote reservations or no on SCR184? Seeing none. Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you.

Sorry, Members for this one. I'm going to resume Chairmanship real quickly. So the Chair would like to reconsider previous decision. Previous decision making made on the previous measure SCR182. The Chair would like to request a motion for reconsideration.

Motion for reconsideration.

Can I get a second? Second. Seeing the motion and the second. All Members in support of the recommendation say Aye.

Any against? Okay. So taking back up for consideration the measure SCR182. The Chair's recommendation is to pass unamended as is. We'll do a roll call vote on this matter. [Roll Call] Chair's recommendation is adopted. Okay. Give me back the Chairman to make sure. Thank you.

Okay.

All right. Moving on to SCR200 SD1. The recommendation is to pass as is. Any discussion? Seeing none. Chair for the vote.

Thank you, Members. SCR200 SD1. Chair's recommendation is passed on amended as is. Any Members wish to offer reservations or no? On SCR200. Chair your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. And moving on to our final measure. SCR231 SD1 recommendation is to pass as is. Any discussion?

Thank you, Members. Chair's recommendation on SCR231 SD1 is to move as is. Any Members with reservations or no? Seeing none. Chair recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. We're adjourned.