STAND. COM. REP. NO.  39-08

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2428

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 2428 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HIGHWAYS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to speed up project delivery and save time and money on state highway projects by exempting the acquisition of lands for state highway projects by the Department of Transportation (DOT) from the requirements of county subdivision regulations.

 

     DOT testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Planning and Permitting of the City and County of Honolulu and the Chair of the Maui County Council testified in opposition to this measure.

 

     The current highway project delivery process used by DOT is lengthy, involving long-range planning processes, prolonged environmental studies, public notice and input requirements, and legislative approvals for both the concept and budget of each project.  In addition, the State Highways Division of DOT must also meet requirements of a county subdivision approval process including applications, fees, tax clearances, and responses to numerous reviewing agencies, and requiring owners to sign-off on subdivision applications prior to the completion of negotiations, and the filing of comprehensive and separate subdivision maps for each owner.  This duplicative process has lengthened the highway project delivery process, putting projects at risk of lapsing state and federal funds.  Your Committee finds that this measure will make the highway delivery process more efficient and will allow DOT to provide necessary infrastructure in a more timely manner.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2428 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Chair