Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Transportation and Government Operations and Intergovernmental Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 67 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Transportation (DOT) to expedite its negotiations with Hawaii Superferry, Inc., and report to the Legislature.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the DOT, ILWU Local 142, and Maui Land & Pineapple Company, Inc. Testimony in opposition was received from Life of the Land.

According to testimony of the DOT, the department is working with Hawaii Superferry to complete a formal agreement covering the use of the State's harbors for the operation of the interisland ferry service. Both parties are working diligently to finalize the agreement by April 1, 2005. However, the DOT cautions that it is not comfortable with an arbitrary completion deadline.

Until the completion of the agreement, the DOT is reluctant to share the details. After the agreement is reached, the DOT will make the details public in planned public informational briefings and in periodic updates. Your Committees urge the DOT to include provisions in the agreement to mitigate the impacts on the State's harbors.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Transportation and Government Operations and Intergovernmental Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 67 and recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.