STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1434

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 757

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 Committees on Transportation and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 757, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Transportation and appropriate county agencies to adopt vision zero polices to prevent and eliminate traffic fatalities; and

(2) Establish and appropriate funds for a temporary working group to develop an action plan and make recommendations to prevent traffic fatalities.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation; Department of Health; Office of the Mayor of the County of Hawai‘i; City and County of Honolulu Department of Transportation Services; Blue Zones Project; Kauai Path, Inc.; Hawaii Strategic Safety Plan; Hawaii Bicycling League; Hawai‘i Public Health Institute; Mothers Against Drunk Driving Hawaii; one member of the City Council of Honolulu; two members of the Maui County Council; and twenty individuals.

Your Committees find that traffic-related fatalities are on the rise around the nation. In 2018, there were 117 traffic related fatalities and as of February 2019, there were already 19 fatalities. Your Committees further find that vision zero is a multi-national road traffic safety project that aims to achieve a traffic system with no traffic related fatalities or serious injuries. This measure is a step toward decreasing the high number of traffic related fatalities and providing a safe environment for all residents and visitors in Hawaii.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Replacing the temporary vision zero working group with the State Highway Safety Council and requiring the State Highway Safety Council to work with each of the county traffic or highway safety councils in developing an action plan;

(2) Requiring the State Highway Safety Council to report to the Legislature;

(3) Deleting the membership of the temporary vision zero working group;

(4) Deleting language that would have disbanded the working group on June 30, 2021;

(5) Deleting the appropriation; and

(6) 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 Transportation and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 757, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 757, 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 Committees on Transportation and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs,

________________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair

________________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair