Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 1614 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Human Services to develop and implement a discount taxi program to provide transportation services for Hawaii residents who are elderly or disabled.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, the Disability and Communication Access Board, and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society-Hawaii Division. Offering comments on the measure was the Department of Transportation Services for the City and County of Honolulu.

Your Committee finds that access to an affordable and reliable method of transportation is an important issue that confronts Hawaii's elderly and disabled populations on a daily basis. These individuals require a dependable mode of transportation that will not unduly drain their limited and fixed incomes. This pilot program will meet this critical need in the form of a public-private partnership between the Department of Human Services, the City and County of Honolulu, and private vendors in providing taxi services for elderly and disabled individuals throughout Honolulu, thereby allowing these individuals to continue with their daily life activities. The project requires an annual report to the legislature by the Department of Human Services and is repealed on June 30, 2010.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1614 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.