STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1951

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.C.R. No. 150

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 150, H.D. 1, entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ESTABLISH AN AIR SERVICE TASK FORCE TO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING COMMERCIAL AIR TRAVEL TO AND FROM MOLOKAI AND LANA‘I,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Transportation to establish an air service task force to provide recommendations for improving commercial air travel to and from Molokai and Lanai.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation and four individuals.

Your Committee finds that, presently, only one commercial airline provides air transport services to Molokai and Lanai, which has become unreliable as flights are infrequent and often canceled at the last minute. As a result, many Molokai and Lanai residents who must travel for essential reasons such as medical appointments, work, and family, are stranded without outgoing or inbound flights. This measure aims to improve air transportation services for Molokai and Lanai between major hubs to provide residents with stable, reliable, and affordable options.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Amending the composition of the air service task force by:

(A) Removing the United States Secretary of Transportation, or the Secretary's designee;

(B) Removing the Regional Administrator for the Federal Aviation Administration, Western-Pacific Region, or the Regional Administrator's designee;

(C) Removing the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, or the Director's designee;

(D) Adding three members to be selected by the Governor, President of the Senate, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively; and

(E) Adding any additional member whose expertise may be relevant to and as recommended by the task force;

(2) Inviting the Regional Administrator for the Federal Aviation Administration, Western-Pacific Region to the task force;

(3) Requesting the task force to consider a new air traffic control tower for Lanai Airport;

(4) Removing the United States Secretary of Transportation and Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs from the list of recipients of certified copies;

(5) Adding the Governor to the list of recipients of certified copies; and

(6) 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 and Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 150, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 150, H.D. 1, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts,

________________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair