STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1199

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.C.R. No. 85

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 85 entitled:

 

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE GOVERNOR AND DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO INCLUDE IN THE 2017-2018 SUPPLEMENTAL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM REQUEST IMPROVEMENTS TO CRUISE SHIP PASSENGER TERMINALS AT NAWILIWILI HARBOR IN KAUAI, HONOLULU HARBOR IN OAHU, KAHULUI HARBOR IN MAUI, AND HILO HARBOR IN HAWAII,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Governor and Department of Transportation to include in the 2017-2018 Supplemental Capital Improvement Program request improvements to cruise ship passenger terminals at Nawiliwili Harbor in Kauai, Honolulu Harbor in Oahu, Kahului Harbor in Maui, and Hilo Harbor in Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation and Cruise Lines International Association North West & Canada.

 

     Your Committee finds that while the Department of Transportation has increased the passengers' fees for cruise ship passengers, it has not, except for the improvements to Pier 2 at Honolulu Harbor, included in its Capital Improvement Program the design and construction of cruise ship passenger facilities for each of its major commercial ports serving passenger vessels.

 

     In addition, the Hawaii Tourism Authority is funding a statewide vessel scheduling system for cruise line agents to have online access to reserve and schedule passenger vessels at the Department of Land and Natural Resources small boat harbors at Kona and Lahaina and the Department of Transportation Harbors Division commercial ports at Nawiliwili Harbor in Kauai, Honolulu Harbor in Oahu, Kahului Harbor in Maui, and Hilo Harbor in Hawaii.

 

     Improvements to the State's cruise ship passenger facilities will enhance Hawaii's tourism brand.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 85, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 85, S.D. 1.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair