Report Title:

Electric Powered Motor Vehicles; High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes

 

Description:

Provides incentives to purchase electric powered motor vehicles by allowing these vehicles to travel in high occupancy vehicle lanes.

 

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	806
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the use of electric powered motor vehicles supports fuel efficient technologies, decreases Hawaii's dependence on imported fuel oils, and decreases harmful emissions that contribute to environmental decay and global warming.

     The purpose of this Act is to provide incentives to purchase and use electric powered motor vehicles by allowing these vehicles to travel in high occupancy vehicle lanes.

     SECTION 2.  Section 291C-222, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§291C-222  Designation of high occupancy vehicle lane.  (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.

     (b)  Signs and other official traffic-control devices that designate high occupancy vehicle lanes shall be placed and maintained to advise drivers of the high occupancy vehicle requirement and the hours of usage.  When the high occupancy vehicle lane also serves as a contraflow lane, the hours of usage as a high occupancy vehicle lane shall be the time when the lane is coned for use as a high occupancy vehicle lane.

     (c)  No motor vehicle shall be operated upon these lanes except in conformance with the instructions on the signs and other official traffic-control devices.

     (d)  An electric powered motor vehicle may use any high occupancy vehicle lane as provided under this section, regardless of the number of occupants in the vehicle.

     For the purposes of this section:

     "Electric powered motor vehicle" means a motor vehicle with an electric motor that derives power from an electric battery or battery pack.

     [(d)] (e)  A motorcycle may use any high occupancy vehicle lane, regardless of the number of occupants.

     [(e)  Any] (f)  In addition to subsection (d) or (e), any vehicle authorized by rules adopted in accordance with chapter 91 may use any high occupancy vehicle lane, regardless of the number of occupants, when the use is determined to enhance public safety and improves traffic conditions."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2009, and shall be repealed on January 1, 2011; provided that on December 31, 2010, section 291C-222, Hawaii Revised Statutes, shall be reenacted in the form in which it existed on the day before the effective date of this Act.

 

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________