STAND. COM. REP. NO. 618

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1640

       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. 1640 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EMERGENCY CHARTER AIR SERVICES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Require the Air Carrier Commission to enter into a contract with a qualified charter air service provider to secure emergency air transportation in cases of emergency when no other air service is available; and

 

     (2)  Appropriate funds. 

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from three individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that due to the unique geographic layout of the State, residents across the Hawaiian Islands often face challenges accessing safe and efficient transportation when air travel options are limited.  If the normal sources of air travel are not available for any reason, existing law does not sufficiently provide for alternatives to facilitate emergency transportation via aviation when maritime transport methods are unavailable, inappropriate, or overly burdensome.  This measure will address the existing gap in transportation services and ensure the continuous availability of emergency air transportation.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

 

     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. 1640, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1640, 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 and Culture and the Arts,

 

 

 

________________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair