STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1942

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 756

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 756, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Transportation, after consultation with the counties, to adopt rules prescribing uniform standards and specifications for all official traffic control devices placed pursuant to the Statewide Traffic Code; and

(2) Specify the factors the Department of Transportation and the counties must take into account when setting maximum speed limits on a road.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Hawaii Bicycling League, O‘ahu County Democrats Legislative Priorities Committee, and Hawaii Strategic Highway Safety Plan.

Your Committee finds that uniform standards and specifications for official traffic control devices are important to provide consistency throughout the State and to ensure the safety of Hawaii's residents and visitors. Your Committee further finds that cities like Boston, Portland, and New York have benefited from state-level standards for speed limits and managing speeding. This measure will require the Department of Transportation, after consultation with the counties, to establish uniform standards and specifications for all official traffic control devices and will help address speed-related issues in the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of March 15, 2095, to encourage further discussion; 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 Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 756, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 756, H.D. 1, S.D. 1.

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

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair