STAND. COM. REP. NO.  600

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 1609

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 1609 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HIGHWAYS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to assist the Department of Transportation (DOT) in expediting the repair of state roadways when the repairs are necessary to preserve or regain the integrity of the road or highway.

     DOT and Maui Land and Pineapple Company, Inc. testified in support of this bill.

     Currently, when a major highway or roadway is damaged by environmental impacts, DOT must comply with county special management area permit requirements to repair the road or highway.  This is necessary even when the repair is urgent and is a process that cannot be waived by the county.  Allowing DOT to be exempted from this permitting process when the repair or maintenance is necessary to preserve or regain the integrity of the road will preserve access to areas served by the roadway while maintaining proper oversight.

     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 H.B. No. 1609 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

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

____________________________

JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Chair