STAND

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 345-04

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: H.B. No. 2956

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 2956 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MASS TRANSIT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to begin the process of alleviating traffic congestion in Hawaii through a mass transit system. Among other things, this bill:

(1) Establishes a Mass Transit Planning Account (Account) with a cap of $3,000,000;

(2) Requires the State Director of Finance (Director) to transfer $600,000 from the Account to an account of the highway fund established for each county with a population greater than 500,000;

(3) Requires the county to use, upon receipt from the Director, the $600,000 to develop and finalize a mass transit work plan that includes the use of a fixed guideway mass transit system;

(4) Requires the Director to transfer the remaining $3,000,000 from the Account to the county to execute an environmental impact study and financial plan, if the county council approves the mass transit work plan; and

(5) Provides that a portion of the State Gasoline Tax shall be paid into the Account.

The Department of Transportation Services of the City and County of Honolulu supported this measure. The Department of Transportation, Department of Taxation, and a concerned citizen testified in opposition to this measure. The Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii and Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii commented on this bill.

A growing population, especially on the Leeward Coast of Oahu, has resulted in substantial increase in the number of vehicles using our roadways. This increased traffic congestion has resulted in lost revenues, lost productivity, and lost time to spend with families.

Your Committee finds that most modern metropolitan areas around the world have a of mass transit system to help alleviate traffic congestion and that a mode of convenient and reliable transportation besides the private automobile needs to be offered as an alternative in order to help resolve traffic problems throughout the State, especially on Oahu.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2956 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

		____________________________ JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Chair