STAND. COM. REP. NO. 508

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 295

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 295 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to:

 

(1)  Allow hybrid vehicles and energy-efficient vehicles to use high occupancy vehicle lanes; and

 

(2)  Define "energy-efficient vehicle" and "hybrid vehicle" for purposes of the traffic code.

 

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation; the Hawaiian Electric Company, Incorporated and its subsidiary utilities, Maui Electric Company, and Hawaii Electric Light Company; and the Sierra Club.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

Your Committee finds that this measure would promote the increased use of fuel efficient hybrid vehicles.  Increased consumer acceptance of energy-efficient vehicles, including hybrid vehicles, will aid in the reduction of greenhouse emissions and fossil fuel use.  This measure also furthers the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative's goal of utilizing seventy per cent clean, renewable energy by 2030.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Adding plug-in hybrid electric vehicles as vehicles allowed to use HOV lanes; and

 

     (2)  Clarifying the definition of "high occupancy vehicle lane" to include hybrid vehicles and energy-efficient vehicle without regard to the number of occupants, which is the intent of this measure.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 295, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 295, S.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs,

 

 

 

____________________________

J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair