STAND. COM. REP. NO.  754

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 1423

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 1423 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HIGH OCCUPANCY VEHICLE (HOV) LANES.,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to improve traffic management by allowing the Director of Transportation (Director) to establish minimum occupancy requirements for high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes.

     The Department of Transportation testified in support of this bill.

     HOV lanes were initially established to encourage ridesharing among motorists, thereby reducing congestion on Hawaii's roadways. Hawaii law currently allows vehicles carrying two or more persons to use HOV lanes.  This does not allow adjustments to be made to meet traffic demands and traffic volume.  Your Committee finds that providing the Director with the flexibility to adjust the occupancy requirements of HOV lanes will improve traffic management of our roadways.

     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. 1423 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Chair