Bill Text: HI SB295 | 2010 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes; Hybrid Vehicles; Energy-Efficient Vehicles
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2009-05-11 - Carried over to 2010 Regular Session. [SB295 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2010-SB295-Amended.html
Report Title:
High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes; Hybrid Vehicles; Energy-Efficient Vehicles
Description:
Provides that high occupancy vehicle lanes may be used by hybrid and other energy-efficient vehicles including plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, regardless of the number of occupants. (SD1)
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
295 |
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TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009 |
S.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. According to findings of R.L. Polk & Co., a worldwide automotive research organization, hybrid vehicles reduce levels of global warming pollutants. Hybrid vehicles reduce smog pollution by ninety per cent or more compared with the cleanest-burning, conventional engine vehicles. They also consume significantly less fuel than vehicles powered by gasoline alone. According to August 2008 vehicle registration data compiled by R.L. Polk & Co., Hawaii ranks among the top fifteen states in new hybrids per one thousand residents.
The legislature finds that Hawaii residents should be encouraged to continue purchasing hybrid and other energy-efficient vehicles to reduce pollutants and emissions. An effective incentive would be to allow hybrid and other energy-efficient vehicles to use high occupancy vehicle lanes regardless of whether each hybrid or energy-efficient vehicle contains the minimum number of passengers to lawfully use the high occupancy vehicle lane.
The purpose of this Act is to allow hybrid and other energy‑efficient vehicles to use high occupancy vehicle lanes without regard to the number of occupants in each vehicle.
SECTION 2. Section 103D-412, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending the definition of "energy-efficient vehicle" to read as follows:
""Energy-efficient vehicle" means a vehicle that:
(1) Is capable of using an alternative fuel;
(2) Is powered primarily through the use of an electric battery or battery pack that stores energy produced by an electric motor through regenerative braking to assist in vehicle operation;
(3) Is propelled by power derived from one or more cells converting chemical energy directly into electricity by combining oxygen with hydrogen fuel that is stored on board the vehicle in any form; or
(4) Draws propulsion energy from onboard sources of
stored energy generated from an internal combustion or heat engine using
combustible fuel and a rechargeable energy storage system[; or].
[(5) Is on the list of "Most Energy
Efficient Vehicles" in its class or is in the top one-fifth of the most
energy-efficient vehicles in its class available in Hawaii as shown by vehicle
fuel efficiency lists, rankings, or reports maintained by the United States
Environmental Protection Agency.]"
SECTION 3. Section 291C-221, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding two new definitions to be appropriately inserted and to read as follows:
""Energy-efficient vehicle" has the same meaning as contained in section 103D-412.
"Hybrid vehicle" means a vehicle that uses an on-board rechargeable energy storage system and a fuel-based power source (combustion engine) for vehicle propulsion. The rechargeable energy storage system generally operates by utilizing:
(1) Batteries to capture kinetic energy through regenerative braking; or
(2) A combustion engine to generate electricity to recharge the battery, or to feed power directly to the electric motor during cruising or light thrust on the accelerator.
The term "hybrid vehicle" includes petroleum-electric hybrid vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), and hybrid electric vehicles (HEV)."
SECTION 4. Section 291C-221, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending the definition of "high occupancy vehicle lane" to read as follows:
""High occupancy vehicle lane"
means a designated lane of a laned roadway where the use of the designated lane
is restricted to school buses, vehicles carrying at least the minimum number of
persons designated by the director of transportation on official signs and
other official traffic-control devices, [and to] hybrid
vehicles and energy-efficient vehicles without regard to the number of occupants,
and other vehicles as provided by rules adopted in accordance with chapter
91, or by county ordinance."
SECTION 5. Section 291C-222, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended as follows:
1. By amending subsection (a) to read:
"(a) The director of transportation by rules
adopted in accordance with chapter 91, and the counties by ordinance, may
designate high occupancy vehicle lanes as [to] roadways under their
respective jurisdictions. The director of transportation, by rules adopted
in accordance with chapter 91, shall develop the means to identify hybrid
vehicles and energy-efficient vehicles, including but not limited to the use of
decals."
2. By amending subsection (d) to read:
"(d) A motorcycle, hybrid vehicle, or energy-efficient vehicle may use any high occupancy vehicle lane, regardless of the number of occupants."
SECTION 6. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
