Report Title:

Hybrid and Alternative Fuel Motor Vehicles; High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes

Description:

Provides incentives to purchase hybrid and alternative fuel motor vehicles by allowing these vehicles to travel in high-occupancy vehicle lanes.

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2125
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the use of hybrid and alternative fuel motor vehicles supports fuel efficient technologies, decreases Hawaii's dependence on imported fuel oils, and decreases harmful emissions that contribute to environmental decay and global warming.

     The purpose of this Act is to provide incentives to purchase and use hybrid and alternative fuel motor vehicles by allowing these vehicles to travel in high-occupancy vehicle lanes.

     SECTION 2.  Section 291C-222, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§291C-222  Designation of high occupancy vehicle lane.  (a)  The director of transportation by rules adopted in accordance with chapter 91, and the counties by ordinance, may designate high occupancy vehicle lanes as to roadways under their respective jurisdictions.

     (b)  Signs and other official traffic-control devices that designate high occupancy vehicle lanes shall be placed and maintained to advise drivers of the high occupancy vehicle requirement and the hours of usage.  When the high occupancy vehicle lane also serves as a contra-flow lane, the hours of usage as a high occupancy vehicle lane shall be the time when the lane is coned for use as a high occupancy vehicle lane.

     (c)  No motor vehicle shall be operated upon these lanes except in conformance with the instructions on the signs and other official traffic-control devices.

(d)  A hybrid motor vehicle or an alternative fuel motor vehicle may use any high occupancy vehicle lane as provided under this section, regardless of the number of occupants in the vehicle.

For the purposes of this section:

"Alternative fuel motor vehicle" means a motor vehicle that is propelled by the use of an alternative fuel as that term is defined in section 243-1; and

"Hybrid motor vehicle" means a motor vehicle with a hybrid propulsion system that uses a combination of electricity and combustible fuel.

     [(d)] (e)  A motorcycle may use any high occupancy vehicle lane, regardless of the number of occupants.

     [(e)] (f)  Any vehicle authorized by rules adopted in accordance with chapter 91 may use any high occupancy vehicle lane, regardless of the number of occupants, when the use is determined to enhance public safety and improves traffic conditions."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall:

     (1)  Take effect on July 1, 2008;

     (2)  Apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2007 and ending before January 1, 2010; and

     (3)  Be repealed on January 1, 2010.

INTRODUCED BY:

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