STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3737

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 96

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.C.R. No. 96 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO INCREASE LOCAL FUNDING FOR METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATIONS AND TO PURSUE FURTHER FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES UNDER THE FEDERAL BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Transportation to increase local funding for metropolitan planning organizations and to pursue further funding opportunities under the Federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Transportation.

Your Committee finds that the cost of building and maintaining infrastructure is one of the costliest annual expenses to the State. The new Federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will provide opportunities for federal funding. Metropolitan Planning Organizations are an important part of the process of obtaining federal funding but are traditionally understaffed in Hawaii compared to Metropolitan Planning Organizations in other states. Therefore, the purpose of this measure is to request that the Department of Transportation increase funding for Metropolitan Planning Organizations so that they may more effectively pursue federal funding for infrastructure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Adding a request for annual Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization briefings to the Legislature, including how projects planned and underway achieve state ground transportation goals;

(2) Clarifying that the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization is requested to submit annual briefings to the legislature on projects in the Oahu regional transportation plan; and

(3) 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 Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 96, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 96, S.D. 1.

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

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CHRIS LEE, Chair