STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3174

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 127

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Housing, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 127 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU TO ESTABLISH A BUSINESS MITIGATION RELIEF PROGRAM TO ASSIST BUSINESSES NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE RAIL PROJECT,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request that the City and County of Honolulu establish a business mitigation relief program to assist businesses negatively impacted by the construction of the rail project.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from one individual.

     Your Committees find that the ongoing Honolulu rail transit project involves significant construction along its proposed route over a significant period of time.  This construction regularly disrupts existing roads and other transit infrastructure and makes it difficult to access areas near active construction sites.  Your Committees further find that this disruption has a negative impact on businesses located near the project's route, and has forced at least one locally owned small business to close permanently.  Further measures by the City and County of Honolulu are urgently required to mitigate the burdens that the Honolulu rail transit project has placed on those businesses adversely affected by the ongoing construction and resulting traffic disruptions.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 127 and recommend that it be referred to your Committees on Transportation and Energy and Water, Land, and Agriculture.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Housing,

________________________________ BREENE HARIMOTO, Chair

________________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair