STAND. COM. REP. NO. 477

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 1081

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 1081 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SIDEWALKS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Transportation and each county's transportation department to create and maintain a priority list of sidewalk installation and improvement projects and publish the list on their respective websites.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Waikiki Neighborhood Board, Palehua Townhouse Association, Hawaii Bicycling League, and five individuals.

Your Committee finds that sidewalks are crucial infrastructure that allow pedestrians to safely walk throughout the State. Properly maintained sidewalks are essential for many of Hawaii's residents and visitors as it is their only means of safely commuting to school or work or to seek medical care. A publicly available list of sidewalk installation and improvement projects throughout the State will better ensure the safety of pedestrians.

Your Committee respectfully requests that should your Committee on Finance hear this measure, that it considers any potential fiscal impact that requiring a priority list of sidewalk installation and improvement projects may have on the State and counties.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have required the Department of Transportation and each county to evaluate a project's potential to reduce disparities in health, safety, and mobility based on geography and other social determinants;

(2) Deleting language that would have required each priority list to include information on what percentage of the respective department's capital improvement budget was allocated to sidewalks and improving pedestrian accessibility;

(3) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1081, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1081, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

HENRY J.C. AQUINO, Chair