Bill Text: HI SB2358 | 2010 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes; Electric Vehicles

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-1)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2010-03-08 - (H) The committee(s) recommends that the measure be deferred. [SB2358 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-SB2358-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2363

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2358

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Energy and Environment and Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2358 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION ENERGY INITIATIVES,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to incentivize the purchase of hybrid and other energy efficient vehicles to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the State.

 

Specifically, this measure provides that high occupancy vehicle lanes may be used by hybrid and energy-efficient vehicles including plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, regardless of the number of occupants.

 

     Testimony in support was submitted by two organizations and one state agency submitted testimony in opposition.  Written testimony presented to the Committees may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     Hawaii's energy security demands that the amount of fossil fuel imported and consumed in the State be reduced significantly.  With little or no cost to the State, this measure creates a subtle enticement that will incentivize the purchase of an energy efficient vehicle.  A similar measure was adopted in California, where many people who recently purchased hybrid vehicles cite the ability to the use the high occupancy vehicle lane as one of the reasons for their purchase.  However, your Committees recognize the Department of Transportation's concerns that permitting too many vehicles in the high occupancy vehicle lanes may cause the lanes to become congested thereby diminishing the incentive for energy-efficient vehicles and the original purpose of encouraging ridesharing.  Your Committees find that electric vehicles are the future for Hawaii drivers, and hope that this measure can provide an incentive for potential purchasers without congesting the high occupancy vehicle lanes.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Narrowing the types of energy efficient vehicles that may use the high occupancy vehicle lanes regardless of the number of occupants to electric vehicles capable of driving at least fifty-five miles per hour; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of style, clarity, and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy and Environment and Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2358, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2358, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy and Environment and Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs,

 

____________________________ J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair		____________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair