CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 59

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2009

 

RE:    S.B. No. 714

       S.D. 1

       H.D. 2

       C.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Madam and Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 714, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HIGH OCCUPANCY VEHICLE LANES,"

 

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

 

     The purpose of this measure is to allow all motor vehicles, regardless of number of persons on board, to use high occupancy vehicle lanes or zipper lanes when one or more lanes of traffic moving in the same direction have been shut down by law enforcement officers or emergency services personnel; provided that the Director of Transportation has declared an emergency and opened the high occupancy vehicle lanes or zipper lanes for this use.

 

     The intent of your Committee on Conference is to alleviate traffic congestion due to lane closures stemming from traffic incidents or accidents.  Your Committee finds that many traffic incidents cause closure of lanes, whether accidents, car crashes, stalled vehicles, or other issues.  This reduction of available travel lanes slows traffic significantly.  Allowing the use of the high occupancy vehicle lanes or zipper lanes to any motor vehicle, regardless of the number of passengers when an incident occurs would be the most effective use of lanes.

 

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2009.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 714, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 714, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

 

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

 

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

 

____________________________

JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Co-Chair

 

____________________________

J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair

____________________________

JON RIKI KARAMATSU, Co-Chair