STAND. COM. REP. NO.  994-20

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2020

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1907

      H.D. 2

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 1907, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to prohibit a person from operating a helicopter for commercial purposes without a valid instrument rating from the Federal Aviation Administration.

 

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Pearl City Neighborhood Board Chair, Windward Coalition, Hawaii Island Coalition Malama Pono Board, and three individuals.

 

     Prior to decision making on this measure, your Committee made available for public review a proposed H.D. 2, which amends this measure by:

 

     (1)  Requiring helicopter owners and operators to submit monthly reports about basic helicopter flight information to the Department of Transportation and advisory committee of the county the helicopter took off from or landed in;

 

     (2)  Requiring the Department of Transportation to post the reports to its website within one week of receipt of the reports from a helicopter owner or operator; and

 

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the proposed H.D. 2 from four individuals.  Your Committee received comments on the proposed H.D. 2 from the Department of the Attorney General and Department of Transportation.

 

     Your Committee finds that helicopter related issues are a matter of public concern.  Hawaii residents are concerned about the dangers associated with helicopter crashes as well as helicopter noise, frequency, and altitude.  Your Committee believes that requiring helicopter owners and operators to report basic details about helicopter flights will help provide necessary information to stakeholders and community members as they try to find a meaningful resolution.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by adopting the proposed H.D. 2 and further amending the measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting language that would prohibit a person from operating a helicopter for commercial purposes without a valid instrument rating from the Federal Aviation Administration;

 

     (2)  Deleting the requirement that helicopter owners and operators submit monthly reports about basic helicopter flight information to the advisory committee of the county the helicopter took off from or landed in;

 

     (3)  Requiring the Department of Transportation to post monthly reports to its website; and

 

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1907, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1907, H.D. 2.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair