STAND. COM. REP. NO. 182

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 714

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 714 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HIGH OCCUPANCY VEHICLE LANES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to allow all motor vehicles, regardless of number of persons on board, to use high occupancy vehicle lanes or zipper lanes when one or more lanes of traffic have been shut down by law enforcement officers or emergency services personnel.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one individual.  Testimony in opposition was received from the Department of Transportation.  Copies of written testimony are available for review on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that many traffic incidents cause closure of lanes, whether accidents, car crashes, stalled vehicles, or other issues.  This reduction of available travel lanes slows traffic significantly.  Allowing the use of the high occupancy vehicle lanes or zipper lanes to any motor vehicle, regardless of the number of passengers when an incident occurs would be the most effective use of lanes.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting two miles from an accident or incident as the radius within which the shutdown of a laned roadway may give rise to the use of a high occupancy vehicle lane or zipper lane by a vehicle, regardless of the number of persons carried; and

     (2)  Conferring authority upon the Director of Transportation to declare an emergency to allow the use of high occupancy vehicle lanes or zipper lanes by vehicles, regardless of the number of persons carried, during emergencies.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 714, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 714, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs,

____________________________

J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair