Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Transportation and Labor and Public Employment, to which was referred H.R. No. 173 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this resolution is to mitigate traffic congestion problems through the encouragement of the use of alternative forms of transportation by requesting the Director of Human Resources Development (DHRD) to establish a voluntary public transit benefit program for state employees that allows for the purchase of monthly bus passes or transit vouchers with monthly pretax payroll deductions.

DHRD and The Hawaii Government Employees Association supported the intent of this measure.

Traffic congestion is a major problem in the State. Your Committees find that one means of mitigating this problem is by encouraging the use of alternative forms of transportation, such as TheBus on Oahu and Vanpool Hawaii, by state employees. Your Committees believe that this will cause a reduction in the number of vehicles on the roadway which will reduce traffic congestion.

Although your Committees do understand the concerns raised about the neighbor islands' lack of comprehensive mass transit systems and whether this issue should be dealt with through collective bargaining, traffic congestion continues to be a problem on Oahu, and a growing problem on the neighbor islands. Solutions such as the one proposed in this measure warrant further discussion.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Transportation and Labor and Public Employment that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 173 and recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.