STAND. COM. REP. NO.  10

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   H.B. No. 917

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 917 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to allow state-funded construction projects to move forward quickly and efficiently by exempting the Department of Transportation development and construction of highways and airports from county approval.

     The Department of Transportation and the Hawaii Laborers' Union testified in support of this bill.  A concerned individual opposed this measure.

     Securing county permits for construction projects, particularly large projects, is a time consuming process that oftentimes results in project delays that can result in added costs.  Exempting highway and airport construction projects from the county approval process will help expedite the planning and construction of needed infrastructure projects and work toward spurring the economic recovery of the State.

     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. 917

and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committees on Water, Land, & Ocean Resources and Energy & Environmental Protection.

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

____________________________

JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Chair