House Standing Committee on Transportation

Morning. Convening the 8:30AM hearing on the Committee on Transportation today, Thursday, March 19, 2026 at Hawaii State Capitol in Conference Room 430. Thank you, folks, and apologize for the delayed start this morning. There's several measures before us for consideration, and I'd like to start with the first measure, SB 2697, SD 1, related to transportation.

Prevents vehicles from driving on the shoulder of a roadway except in certain circumstances, authorizes the Department of Transportation and county police departments to impound or cause to tow vehicles to expired registrations at three or more years after verifying vehicle's registration status.

Allows the owner of an impound or tow vehicle to recover the vehicle under certain conditions, exempts an owner of an impounded or towed vehicle for the liability of towing or storage charges if it was improperly impounded or towed, allows the owner of an impounded or towed vehicle to recover the vehicle without payment upon presenting the vehicle's current registration to the towing company. Requires the towing company to allow a vehicle owner to enter the vehicle to obtain the vehicle's current registration.

Requires the annual report to the legislature. Increases the fine for auto, for owners of out of state motor vehicles who fail to register the vehicle in the state. Establishes minimum and maximum statutory penalties for violations linked to the use of high occupancy vehicle length. Effective 08/01/2027. Vice Chair for testimony.

Department of Transportation in support.

Good morning, Chair. This is Larry Dill, Hawaii Department of Transportation. We stand on our support supportive testimony. Thank you.

Thank you. City and County of Honolulu, Department of Customer Services with comments, and one individual with comments. Anyone in person or online wishing to testify on SB 2697, SD 1? Seeing none.

Thank you. Members, any questions? Seeing none. Let's move on to our next agenda item before us. SB 2399, SD 2, relating to general excise tax exemption for aircraft maintenance. Provides a general excise tax exemption for the sale of material, parts, or tools used for aircraft service and maintenance for the construction of an aircraft service and maintenance facility. Effective 07/01/2050. Vice Chair for testimony.

Department of Taxation with comments.

Good morning, Chair, Vice Chair. Garrison Kurth with Department of Taxation. We'll stand on our written testimony to provide comments, and here if you have questions.

Thank you. Kohala Coast Resort Association in support. Tax Foundation of Hawaii with comments.

Aloha. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii stands on its comments. Thank you.

Thank you. Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines in support. Not present. Chamber of Commerce Hawaii in support. Thank you. Anyone online or in person wishing to testify on SB 2399, SD 2?

Thank you. Members, any questions? Seeing none. Let's move on to our next agenda item before us. SB 2665, SD 2, relating to renewal of driver's licenses. Requires applicants for driver's license renewal who have received a moving violation within the previous five years to complete an educational course that includes a road safety video developed by Department of Transportation and a written road safety examination, effective 07/01/2027. Vice Chair for testimony.

Department of Transportation in support.

Hello, Chair. DOT stands on its written testimony in support as submitted.

Thank you. Office of the Public Defender in opposition.

Good morning, Chair, Vice Chair, Members of the Committee. My name is William Bento. I am I'm representing the Office of the Public Defender. Our office does oppose the bill. Not because we don't believe that there's an issue with safety on our roadway, but just that looking at the language of the bill, we don't really see that there's a strong correlation between what would be required under the bill and what it's hoping to achieve, which is safety on our highways.

The fact that you are able to study for an exam and memorize the answers to questions doesn't necessarily translate to driving with aloha on the road and thinking about being safe with other people. That's our real concern is how do we change people's attitudes towards trying to be safe and caring about themselves and the safety of other people on the roads.

Personally, I've been working at this job for this year will be 39 years. I've lived in Mililani and now in Ewa Beach. I drive on the highway every single day, morning and afternoon. And I see, you know, the need for us to change people's attitudes. You know, motorcycles driving in between traffic at a high speed, people going in and out. And when the road is open, people speeding. So how do we change that attitude? That's the real important thing. And I do think education is one of the ways.

We would not oppose when you go to renew your license that you have to sit down for five or ten minutes and watch a video and be educated. Let people come and give their testimony on the video about how somebody's accident has caused them pain and suffering in their family. But more importantly, people who may have had an accident, what did they learn from that? What did they have to go through? You know, those types of testimonies are the most powerful.

The other thing perhaps is that maybe we could consider giving positive reinforcement to people with good driving records. Maybe they could, you have one year no no tickets. Maybe you get to use the zipper lane for a week. Maybe you can get a discount on your car registration. You know, we've all seen the increase in prices.

My daughter just texted me this morning. She paid $5 a gallon for gas at the service station this morning. Maybe we give somebody one free fill up on a gas card if they continue to have a good driving record. But, you know, we do share the concerns. It's just that we don't see how there's a correlation between taking a written exam and driving safe. So that's our reason for the opposition, and I'm available to answer any questions. Thank you.

Thank you. Attorney General's Office with comments.

Hi. Good morning, Chair Kila, Vice Chair Miyake, Committee Members. Michael Moriyama, Deputy Attorney General. The purpose of this bill is to require applicants who are renewing their driver's licenses to complete an additional educational course if an applicant received a traffic citation involving the operation of a motor vehicle within a prior five years.

State traffic laws for what we informally call moving violations are based on the operation of a motor vehicle and not specifically whether a vehicle was moving at the time the violation was committed. Under current state traffic laws, the operation of a motor vehicle is broadly construed to include moving violations, as well as apply to an intoxicated driver illegally stopped in the middle of a public roadway who passed out by waiting for a traffic light to change, whose vehicle was not moving.

The department recommends that the term moving violation that appears on page one, line eight be replaced with traffic citation for a violation of state traffic law or county traffic ordinance involving the operation of a motor vehicle. Consistent with replacing the term moving violation on page one, the department recommends deleting lines four through nine on page three entirely. And then I'd also like to apologize.

There are two mistakes in my written testimony for clause two on page two of my written testimony. The words the applicant should have been included before completes, and the word and should be an n without the d. So the last phrase in clause two should be the applicant completes an educational course that includes. And, again, I apologize for my mistake. Thank you for the opportunity to testify and available for questions.

Thank you. City and County of Honolulu Department of Customer Services with comments, and one individual in support. Anyone in person or online wishing to testify on SB 2665, SD 2?

Thank you. Members, any questions? Seeing none. Let's move on to next agenda item. SB 2851, SD 1, related to deaf individuals. Authorizes deaf motor vehicle owners to register the vehicle as being owned by a deaf individual so that the deafness designation appears when a law enforcement officer accesses the motor vehicle's information. Effective January 1, 2027. Vice Chair for testimony.

Disability and Communication Access Board in support. Not present. City and County of Honolulu, Department of Customer Services with comments. PL Fritz, individual in support on Zoom.

Hi. Thank you, Chair. My name is Peter Fritz. I'm an attorney, a former member of the Disability and Communication Access Board, and I support this bill. I recommended two amendments before when I appeared before this committee on the House bill. The first is an amendment to lower the threshold to 41 decibels, which is consistent with the bill that I presented to the deaf blind task force when this bill was drafted.

The second amendment allows deafness to be verified by tax forms, income tax forms, income tax filing, sensitive documents, verification by a physician is the appropriate standard. This committee removed the income tax provision from HB 1993 and I asked for the same amendment here.

The implementation concerns raised by the City and County of Honolulu were addressed addressed in my written testimony. The committee resolved those concerns in HB 1993 by inserting a flexible start date. And my request is that the committee amend this bill to align it with the amendments that this committee adopted for HB 1993, HD 1 on February 12, 2026. Thank you very much.

Thank you. We also received three testimony in support from three individuals. Anyone online or in person wishing to testify on SB 2851, SD 1?

Thank you. Members, any questions? Seeing none. SB 3102, SD 2, relating to port mileage. Clarifies the consulting role and responsibilities of the Department of Transportation and the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Development and implementation of port pilot licensure standards requirements and criteria. Support for the list of designated port pilot, pilot—designated pilotage waters—effective 07/01/2050. Vice Chair for testimony.

Department of Transportation, in support.

Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair. Thank you so much for hearing this measure. I'm Dre Khalili, Deputy Director of Transportation for Harbors. We stand on our written testimony in strong support. Available for questions.

Thank you. DCCA Port Pilot Program, in support.

Good morning, Chair, Vice Chair, members of the committee. I'm Danny Chow. I'm a Program Specialist for DCCA, and the Department stands in full support of this measure and is available for any questions.

Thank you. Maritime Group, in support. Hawaii Pilots Association, in support. Good morning.

Good morning, chair, vice chair, committee members. Thank you for having us. Sinclair Brown with Hawaii Pilots Association, the harbor pilots, and we stand on our written testimony as submitted, and I'm here to answer any questions. Thank you. Good morning.

Good morning. Thank you. Matson Navigation, in support. Hawaii Harbors Users Group, in support. Hawaii State AFL CIO, in support, and Young Brothers, in support. Anyone in person or online wishing to testify SB 3102, SD 2?

Thank you. Members, any questions? Seeing none. I'd like to move on to our next agenda item before us. SB 2521, SD 1, relating to emergency services. Exempts emergency medical services personnel from commercial driver's license requirements. Requires federal, state, and county firefighters, emergency medical service personnel, and law enforcement officers to maintain proof that they have successfully completed agency approved or state approved training on emergency vehicles.

Amends the definition of authorized emergency vehicle under state traffic code to replace ambulances with emergency medical service vehicles. Expands the definition of authorized emergency vehicle to include disaster response and recovery vehicles and Department of Health vehicles. Vice Chair for testimony.

Department of Transportation in support.

Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair, Members of the Committee. Larry Dill for the DOT. We stand in support by our testimony as submitted.

Thank you. Hawaii State Department of Health in support. Not present. City and County of Honolulu Emergency Services Department in support. Thank you. City and County of Honolulu, Department of Human Services Human Resources in support, and UPW in support. Anyone in person or online wishing to testify on SB 2521, SD 1? Seeing none, Chair.

Thank you. Members, any questions? Seeing none. Our last agenda item today, SB 3157, relating to transportation, requires unencumbered and unexpended revenues from the Automated Speed Enforcement Systems Program Special Fund in excess of $12,000,000 as of June 30th of each year to...the General Fund. Vice Chair for testimony.

Department of Transportation, in support.

Aloha, chair, vice chair, members of the committee. Larry Dill to the DOT. We stand in support of our testimony as submitted.

Thank you. Anyone online or in person wishing to testify on SB 3157? Seeing none, Chair.

Thank you. Larry, I have a question.

Yes, Chair?

How comfortable are you taking questions about this? The, the, the camera safety program?

It's solid. Thanks.

Okay. So, from my understanding, when the program was step—stood up and authorized—it was under the intent to be self-contained for the purpose of operation and maintenance and whatnot. But to the point, right, to author this is under the, the guide step. He would not be expending any money. But from my envision of once the program was to be fully stood up, I, I don't ever foresee it—foresee us ever lapsing money into the fund at all.

So, is that a correct perception or understanding of the program?

I agree. We do not envision any funds would be lapsed.

I'm sorry. Lapsed into the General Fund.

Correct. Yes. We do not envision lapsing any funds back into the General Fund.

No, but that's what the bill is asking us to do. That should the Special Fund ceiling exceed 12,000,000 and everything is encumbered or spent, anything more would go to the General Fund. I understand, I, I understand the concept what you folks are trying to do, but I did watch this play out in the Senate. And I think that there was some concerns raised by a member of the Senate and thus, in turn, other folks.

Okay. So, I'm, I'm sorry, Chair. I was not in attendance to that hearing with the Senate. So, I cannot speak to that specifically. But it is our intent to utilize these funds such that there would be no excess funds to lapse back into the General Fund.

Okay. I think we will continue this discussion on this measure with Director and Deputy of Highways. Members, any other questions? Okay, seeing none. Members, let's take a recess.

Reconvening our 8:30 AM committee hearing here for the Committee of Transportation. Members, for the measures before us, I'd like to start with SB 2697, related to transportation. So, this was a companion measure, and I wanna thank Senator Inouye.

I just wanna give context that the House Transportation Committee Chair and the Senate Transportation Committee Chair, we've had really great robust discussion so far. And I really wanna thank Senator Inouye for her openness and willingness of moving both Senate measures over to us and now also hearing a bunch of different House measures. I appreciate her collaboration that she's been doing.

So this is one of those bills that we collaborated on. So previously Members, we heard a House version like this. The Senate vehicle is the vehicle decided to be moving. So for the purposes of this measure, like to adopt the HD 1 for SB 2697. First, I went to two language from House Bill 2027, House Draft 1 in its current form of language.

So it's similarly what we passed out. So for consistency and making sure that we have the same measure in the bill and for the purpose of carrying out the towing enforcement as set forth in this law or proposed law, I wanna make clear that they shall be exempt, shall be exempt from HRS 2911 section b, paragraph two. Technical amendments, clarity, consistency, and style, defecting the effective date, and that's my recommendations. Members, any question, comments, concerns? You know, I probably do. Sorry. I'm slipping up on my... Technical amendments or clarity, consistency, style. Thank you, Rep. Okay. Vice Chair for the vote, please.

Voting on SB 2697, SD 1. The recommendation is to pass with amendment. [Roll Call] Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you, Members. SB 2399, SD 2. For this one, I'd like to just adopt the House Draft 1 for technical amendments, technical amendments for clarity, consistency, style, defecting the effective date. Members, questions, comments, concerns? Seeing none. Vice Chair for the vote, please.

Voting on SB 2399, SD 2. Recommendation is to pass with amendments. Noting Rep Kitagawa's excusal for the remaining of this hearing. Any reservations? Any no votes? Seeing none. The recommendation is adopted.

Thank you, Members. SB 2665, SD 2, related to driver's license. This has been, I think, a robust discussion that we've had around traffic safety this session, and several measures were drafted in response, I think, to folks trying to look for different ways. I know the department has authored a similar measure, myself as well, Senator Elefante.

I just wanna thank everybody for just looking at different ways you can reduce some of these things. I wanna acknowledge, I envy the position of the public defender, as they often are before our committee in opposition to a lot of things. But I think some of it does have merit, and I know what they are looking out for.

But I would respond in the sense that we also have a large vast majority of people who do follow the law and trying to get to their destination safely. So for this one, we're gonna adopt the HD 1 to move this measure forward. I'm gonna do technical amendments for clarity, consistency, style. I wanna note in the committee report, the Honolulu County requested effective date, which pretty much is a one year delayed effectiveness should whenever the act become law.

And I want to adopt Attorney General's recommended amendments for clarity as well, but I was gonna pull it from the submitted testimony, but as they shared when they were testifying that there was an error. So I just wanna read it just to make clear that amending section 286-10C 107E to HRS on page one lines eight through 11 to read as follow.

If the applicant has received a traffic citation for a violation of a state traffic law or county traffic ordinance involving the operation of a motor vehicle within the previous five years for the day that the applicant files for renewal, the applicant completes an educational course that includes and then the following. And just clarifying the defective effective date. Members, questions, comments, concerns?

I like the bill. I like what I like the intent of it. My concern in with reservations because of the fact that our county can't handle the current load they have right now. Even if you make a pathetic attempt at making an appointment, you still show up at your appointment time, and nine times out of 10 have to wait two or three more additional hours because for some reason they're backlogged. This would make it extremely hard on people who may have gotten a 10 mile an hour over the speed limit ticket.

That doesn't mean they're a bad person. It doesn't mean they don't know how to drive. It just means, you know, they were probably keeping up with traffic and slipped up. And for them to have to take a whole day off of work to do their license when that thing comes up, we can add additional hardships on the already struggling economy people. So I'm reservations for that.

You know, I... Maybe, sorry. This is on the fly. Let's increase the threshold to two traffic citations instead of just one.

If you do that, I'm a yes.

I can understand your concern and I because at that point, right, one could be an accident or your first lesson. But what is the word? First time is shame on me. Shame on you. Yeah. Yeah. So I think for the discussion of this one, let's increase the threshold to not to be two violations in the period of five years.

And if you do that, then I'm a yes.

No, I think that there's merit to that. I also just want to respond in a sense that I also want to add that Honolulu County did pass a resolution before we went into session this year asking us to revisit this. So to your point, I don't know if they also consulted with their customer services, but that's neither here or there. Okay. With that, the only change then I will increase the threshold to be 2 citations for the purpose of triggering the renewal. So if there's any further questions, comments, concerns?

No. I appreciate that, Chair.

I think it's a fair compromise. And I'm willing to. Right? I think that, to your point, one is an accident, two is intentional. Okay. Vice Chair for the vote, please.

Voting on SB 2665, SD 2. The recommendation is to pass with amendments. Any reservations? Any no votes? Seeing none. The recommendation is adopted.

Thank you, Members. SB 2851, SD 1, related deaf individuals. I'd like to adopt HD 1. We've heard this measure in another form in the other committee. I mean, sorry. We heard another House bill like this in this committee has crossed over. I think they are trying to accomplish the same thing. So first, I want to start off and just thank the testimony from Peter Fritz. I do want to note your testimony in the committee report for the next committee to consider as subject matter in the sense of carrying out.

The judiciary, the judicial part of what should set forth, I think they would be more equipped to maybe take on that. Because I do want to adopt DCAB's testimony for the purpose of this measure. And I appreciate you, Mr. Fritz, for being engaged with the committee on that. I want to also note in the committee report Honolulu's requested effective date should this become law.

On page two, lines 15 to 21, we're going to set the language relating to the impairment of deafness as its own subsection for the purpose of this bill. And we will do tech amendments for clarity, consistency, and style. Members, questions, comments, or concerns? Seeing none. Vice Chair for the vote, please.

Voting on SB 2851, SD 1. The recommendation is pass with amendments. Any reservations? Any no votes? Seeing none. Recommendation's adopted.

Thank you, members. Next measure SP 400 and two SD to relate to pork mileage. Adopt the HD one. There was also referred this previously, but I believe both admin bills are moving to the discussion. Members question. Oh, sorry. HD one tech amendments for clarity, consistency and style, and we will do fact the effective date. Members, questions, comments concerns. Seeing that pressure for the vote, please.

Voting on SP 3100 And two SD two. Recommendation is passed from amendments. Any reservations? No votes. See none. The recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. Members SP 25 to one s t one or eight emergency services. I could adopt the Oscar F one for this measure. For technical amendments and for clarity, consistency, style, effective, effective date, and I wanna thank the county for the eight to try to find a way to make sure they can keep our employees on the road safely. Members questions, comments, or concerns? Seeing none, make sure for the vote, please.

Voting on S B 2521 s D 1. The recommendation is to pass with amendments. Any reservations? Any no votes? Seeing none. The recommendation is adopted. Thank you.

Members last agenda item SP 3,157 related transportation. I'd like to adopt the house draft one for this measure on a defective effective date. Technical amendments for clarity, consistency and style increase the threshold from 12,000,000 to $25,000,000 and also insert language into this measure. That The department may assess the procurement stand the procurement of the operator for the measure of the CTE program. And every five years, department shall reissue procurement for the safety traffic program. Members, questions, comments, or concerns? Seeing Sorry. Sorry.

So the 12,000,000, you're bumping it to 25, you just said?

Yes.

And these funds should not be if not used, will lapse in back into the general fund. Is that what's

That's, I think, what the bill is trying to accomplish. But I I think, really, my line of questioning is that I think it's advantageous to assume that we will ever get to that position because I think in its full Enactment. I don't ever actually see Right. Right now. We're running only on the pilot of 10 cameras, but I think when D O T did their studies there over 200 intersections alone Debt quantify for the installation of these and the money in the special fund from my understanding is to operate, maintain and the equipment for the operation.

So Even get spent down.

I don't ever see I it's an interesting case should we ever lapse funds, but I don't want the the ceiling to be that low. I think 25,000,000 is fair. And I continue this question on the measure.

Sure. Give me. I wanna try and abuse your kindheartedness this morning. I should have said this earlier, but instead of the general fund, any cap or any excess lapse going back to the general fund, can we possibly put this into the, seafronts to school fund? Because this is actually a transportation fine.

It happens on the roads fine. So going into the special fund just doesn't make any sense, you know, how I feel about that fund. But if we can have it work towards making our routes to school and our crosswalks and stuff like that safer, I feel at least a little bit better.

I think legally, I we cannot special fund transfer to another special fund. It always has to do a pass through if you're gonna reappropriate from special to general, then general to special. But to your point, I think this warrants a discussion largely as we revisit the cameras on the purposes of I want to say revenue generation that we should probably explore that as a deeded weight for continued funding for the expert expenditures of safe routes to school. So for this one, I I'm not going to put that in. But I think when we continue to discussion next session, I think it is warranted.

Yeah.

Members any further questions? Seeing them by chairman of the vote, please

voting on SP 3,157. The recommendation is to pass with amendments. Any reservations? Any no votes. Seeing none. The recommendation is adopted. Thank you.

Members are next hearing will be Tuesday. It'll be kind of long, but I think you guys again for your willingness to continue being engaged with the committee.

08:30 or do you have a time?

I I would. It might be 08:30. It might be nine.

Okay. I'll wait till then. I apologize

for getting you. Thank you.

You both have a great day. Alright. Thank you.