STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1335

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1167

H.D. 1

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 H.B. No. 1167, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to make an emergency appropriation out of the State Highway Fund to provide funds for fiscal year 2024-2025 for the Department of Transportation to enforce the Motor Carrier Law.

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

Your Committee finds that the Motor Carrier Law regulates the transportation of persons and property on public highways for commercial purposes. Enforcement of this law is therefore paramount to maintaining public safety on roadways and promoting sustainable economic development. Act 117, Session Laws of Hawaii 2024, transferred enforcement of the Motor Carrier Law to the Department of Transportation, but did not make commensurate appropriations to fund the Department's increased scope of duties. This measure rectifies that oversight by appropriating funds to the Department of Transportation, ensuring the continued enforcement of the Motor Carrier Law.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making it effective on July 1, 2025.

Your Committee notes that this measure contains an unspecified appropriation amount. Should your Committee on Ways and Means choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider inserting an appropriation amount of $1,000,000 from the State Highway Fund for the enforcement of the Motor Carrier Law by the Department of Transportation.

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 H.B. No. 1167, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1167, H.D. 1, 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