STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1421

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   S.B. No. 1046

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

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 S.B. No. 1046, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FEES FOR WINDSHIELD PLACARDS FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to ensure fiscal accountability in the process of issuing parking placards for persons with disabilities by requiring the counties to deposit all fees collected for the issuance of temporary or replacement placards into the State general fund.

     The Disabilities and Communication Access Board (DCAB), Department of Customer Services of the City and County of Honolulu, and two concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  Two members of the Maui County Council testified in opposition to this measure.

     Currently, DCAB reimburses the counties at a rate of $12 per placard for the issuance of temporary or replacement parking placards for persons with disabilities.  However, the individual receiving the temporary or replacement placard must also pay $12 to receive the placard.  Thus, the county must reimburse the State for the issuance of these placards lest they be collecting twice the amount necessary for their issuance.

     Concerns, however, have been raised by members of the Maui County Council regarding payment to the counties for the operation of the Statewide Program on Parking for Persons with Disabilities (Parking Program).  While the counties are required to operate the Parking Program, members of the Maui County Council contend that the State does not adequately reimburse the county for this service.  In fact, the council members have stated that in fiscal years 2005 and 2006, the County of Maui expended approximately $102,000 for the Parking Program and was only reimbursed $14,000 by the State.  Accordingly, your Committee respectfully requests the Committee on Finance to review whether it is feasible for the State to fully reimburse the counties for the operations of the Parking Program.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to upon approval.

     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 S.B. No. 1046, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1046, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Chair