STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2866

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2626

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Education and Transportation and International Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2626, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Permanently establish the safe routes to school program within the Department of Transportation;

     (2)  Establish the safe routes to school special fund;

     (3)  Assess a surcharge of $25 for violations of speeding in a school zone;

     (4)  Assess a surcharge of $10 for other traffic violations; and

     (5)  Require that these surcharges be deposited into the safe routes to school special fund.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; Department of Education; Department of Transportation; State Highway Safety Council; Department of Public Works of the County of Kauai; two members of the Kauai County Council; Hawaii Nutrition and Physical Activity Coalition; Nutrition and Physical Activity Coalition of Kauai County; Landmark Consulting Services; Blue Planet Foundation; Hawaii Public Health Association; Hawaii Bicycling League; Helena Stevenson, a student at Kalaheo High School; Laurie Ching, a student at Hanalani Schools; and twenty-eight individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

     Your Committees find that thirty-eight schools in the State have safe routes to school programs which have been extremely successful in increasing the number of children walking and biking to school.  This measure will create a safe routes to school program within the Department of Transportation and establish the safe routes to schools special fund thereby helping to create a sustainable means of generating revenue for this important program.

     As this measure progresses, your Committees ask that clarification be provided on the role and responsibilities of the counties and whether the counties are mandated to participate in the safe routes to schools program established within the Department of Transportation.  

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Removing references to the federal safe routes to school program, as appropriate, for purposes of clarity and consistency; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Transportation and International Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2626, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2626, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Transportation and International Affairs,

____________________________ J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair

____________________________ JILL TOKUDA, Chair