STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3387

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.C.R. No. 187

       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 S.C.R. No. 187 entitled:

 

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO STUDY THE EFFECTS OF PROHIBITING TRUCKS WITH A GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT OF TEN THOUSAND POUNDS OR MORE FROM USING THE LEFT-MOST LANE ON CERTAIN HIGHWAYS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Transportation to study the effects on traffic congestion and safety when implementing a left-lane restriction for large trucks.

 

     Prior to the hearing on this measure, your Committee posted and made available for public review a proposed S.D. 1, which amends this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting its contents;

 

     (2)  Inserting language urging the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to work with the United States Department of Energy to develop an Office of Science National Laboratory in the Kalaeloa community development district for researching renewable energy; and

 

     (3)  Amending its title accordingly to read, "URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM TO PARTNER WITH THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TO ESTABLISH AN OFFICE OF SCIENCE NATIONAL LABORATORY IN THE KALAELOA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT,".

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the proposed S.D. 1 from the Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii.  Your Committee received comments on the proposed S.D. 1 from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and Hawaii Community Development Authority.

 

     Your Committee finds that in order for the State to reach its goal of one hundred percent renewable energy by 2045, high quality research facilities are needed to support the development of new energy-production technologies.  Your Committee points to the United States Department of Energy Office of Science national laboratories as facilities that have the financial and logistical support to realize necessary technological advances, and notes that the State is a leader in renewable energy.  Thus, establishing a national laboratory focused on renewable energy technology in Hawaii is mutually beneficial: Hawaii is an obvious location for conducting groundbreaking research on renewable energy, and a national laboratory in Hawaii will support the State's goal of one hundred percent renewable energy.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by adopting the proposed S.D. 1 and further amending the measure by:

 

     (1)  Inserting language to include the Hawaii Community Development Authority, which oversees the Kalaeloa community development district, in the process of establishing a national laboratory in the Kalaeloa community development district; and

 

     (2)  Amending its title in accordance with its amended purpose.

 

     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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 187, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 187, S.D. 1.

 

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

 

 

 

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LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair