STAND. COM. REP. NO. 127

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1009

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts, to which was referred S.B. No. 1009 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PARKING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a state accessible parking space enforcement fine for parking in parking spaces reserved for persons with disabilities or electric vehicles;

(2) Increase the fines for any person who parks a non-electric vehicle in a space designated and marked as reserved for electric vehicles; and

(3) Require the fine to be deposited into the state general fund.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Disability and Communication Access Board and one individual.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services and one individual.

Your Committee finds that existing statute regulates the designation of parking spaces and the regulation of parking enforcement for both electric vehicle spaces and spaces reserved for persons with disabilities. The ability for individuals with disabilities and individuals with electric vehicles to park in specialized parking spaces allows them necessary access to the amenities of the spaces. Your Committee further finds that the frequent improper use of designated parking spaces has been insufficiently enforced and has not been an adequate deterrent in decreasing unauthorized vehicles in designated spaces. Accordingly, this measure offers an additional method of enforcement to address the misuse of parking spaces designated for electric vehicles and for individuals with disabilities through new and increased fines.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the name of the new fine from the "state accessible parking space enforcement fine" to "state reserved parking space enforcement fine";

(2) Amending language to deposit all fines collected from the state reserved parking space enforcement fine into the Safe Routes to School Program Special Fund;

(3) Amending section 1 to reflect its amended purpose; and

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

Your Committee notes the testimony of the Disability and Communication Access Board that since this measure also imposes fines on non-electric vehicles parked in spaces reserved for electric vehicles therefore the fine should be designated as the state reserved parking space enforcement fine.

Your Committee acknowledges that comments and concerns were brought forward by the Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS) regarding the placement of fines. The testimony of DAGS notes that their Automotive Management Division operates on the funds from the State Parking Control Revolving Fund where parking enforcement fines are currently deposited. DAGS requests that all parking enforcement fines be deposited into the State Parking Control Revolving Fund. Your Committee recognizes the concerns of DAGS, and notes that this measure will only deposit fines from the state reserved parking space enforcement fine established into the Safe Routes to School Special Fund.

Your Committee further notes the question discussed in the public hearing on this measure relating to posting new state reserved parking space enforcement fine amounts on every sign that designates a reserved parking space. Should your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider the comments and questions relating to the publicization of the new fine established in this measure.

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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1009, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1009, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair