STAND. COM. REP. NO. 509

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1403

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred S.B. No. 1403 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HELICOPTERS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require commercial helicopter owners and operators to retain and make available records containing basic helicopter flight information.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of United States Congressman Ed Case and thirty-eight individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General, Department of Transportation, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Blue Hawaiian Helicopters, and two individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that there are multiple commercial helicopter flights over and around the State every day.  These helicopter flights create noise pollution and the possibility of crashes.  There have been at least eighteen civilian helicopter crashes in the State since 2015.  This measure will require commercial helicopter owners and operators to record basic flight information so that stakeholders and community members can effectively work towards addressing the concerns of local residents and interested parties.

 

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Requiring the commercial flight reports to be submitted monthly to the Department of Transportation; and

 

     (2)  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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1403, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1403, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair