STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3133

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2684

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation and Energy, to which was referred H.B. No. 2684, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR CARRIERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Amend the fees and penalties for motor carriers; and

(2) Require a certain percentage of the monies collected from motor carrier fees and penalties be used for the enforcement of motor carrier laws.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Transportation Association and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Public Utilities Commission.

Your Committee finds that the Public Utilities Commission is responsible for enforcing public utility laws, including laws that govern electricity, water and sewer, interisland shipping, and motor carriers. In order to enable the Public Utilities Commission to enforce the laws over motor carriers, additional funds are necessary for additional enforcement personnel.

In its testimony, the Public Utilities Commission noted that earmarking a percentage of monies received by the Commission for the purpose of enforcing chapter 271, Hawaii Revised Statutes, could cause administrative and fiscal challenges for the Commission.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting its contents and inserting an appropriation to the Public Utilities Commission for the purpose of hiring additional enforcement personnel; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and Energy that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2684, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2684, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair