STAND. COM. REP. NO. 83

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 375

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred S.B. No. 375 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to commission a study to determine the feasibility of repairing or renovating the Kalaeloa Airport air traffic control tower.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation and Transportation Committee of the Kapolei-Makakilo Neighborhood Board No. 34.

Your Committee finds that the Kalaeloa Airport air traffic control tower is old and outdated. The air traffic controllers from the Hawaii Air National Guard who currently operate the tower do so under a waiver from the Federal Aviation Administration. Your Committee also finds that the current tower cannot accommodate the anticipated future increase in air traffic and is presently unable to accommodate Instrument Flight Rules capabilities that are currently in operation at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in Honolulu. This is problematic as the Kalaeloa tower is the designated backup tower for HNL in the event of a disaster, yet the Kalaeloa tower is not adequately equipped to perform that task. This measure will be the first step towards improving the Kalaeloa tower.

Your Committee notes the testimony from the Department of Transportation that, due to the procurement process they must adhere to, the Department would be unable to submit the results of the study by the 2022 deadline required by this measure.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by extending the date that the Department of Transportation is required to submit its findings and recommendations to the Legislature from twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2022, to prior to the Regular Session of 2023.

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. 375, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 375, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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CHRIS LEE, Chair