STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2677

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2299

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred S.B. No. 2299 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRAFFIC,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Permit a bicyclist to proceed through an intersection from a right turn only lane if they cannot safely merge into the thru traffic lane, provided they signal intention to merge left; and

(2) Permit a bicyclist to proceed in a right turn only lane when approaching an intersection, even if they do not intend to turn right, provided that they do not pass a stopped vehicle and that they exercise reasonable safety when passing a moving vehicle.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Hawaii Bicycling League, Cycle On Hawaii, and Bikeshare Hawaii. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Transportation and Honolulu Police Department.

Your Committee finds that at some intersections it may be appropriate to allow bicyclists to proceed through the intersection via a right turn only lane. Your Committee further finds that it should be left to the Department of Transportation to determine intersections appropriate for application of this measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by authorizing the Department of Transportation to identify intersections where bicycles may proceed through an intersection and place signage to designate them.

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 S.B. No. 2299, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2299, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

________________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair