STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3503

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    GOV. MSG. NOS. 850, 851, 852, 853, 854, 855

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Transportation and International Affairs, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 850, 851, 852, 853, 854, and 855, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of: 

 

State Highway Safety Council

 

G.M. No. 850

EDWARD HIRATA,

for a term to expire 6-30-2016;

 

G.M. No. 851

GORDON HONG,

for a term to expire 6-30-2015;

 

G.M. No. 852

JUSTIN KOLLAR,

for a term to expire 6-30-2016;

 

G.M. No. 853

MITCHELL ROTH,

for a term to expire 6-30-2016;

 

G.M. No. 854

MARK SCRIBNER,

for a term to expire 6-30-2015; and

 

G.M. No. 855

JAN YOKOYAMA,

for a term to expire 6-30-2016,

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     Your Committee has reviewed the personal histories, resumes, and statements submitted by the nominees and finds Edward Hirata, Gordon Hong, Justin Kollar, Mitchell Roth, Mark Scribner, and Jan Yokoyama to possess the requisite qualifications to be nominated to the State Highway Safety Council.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of Edward Hirata from the Department of Transportation.

 

     Edward Hirata was the Director of Transportation for five years from 1986 to 1991.  He also served as the Director of Transportation Services for the City and County of Honolulu, and is currently on the Board of the Oahu Transit Services.  Mr. Hirata has experience in the private sector and with the Hawaiian Electric Company.  As a civil engineer, Mr. Hirata has received numerous professional awards and commendations.

 

     Mr. Hirata is particularly concerned with implementing the  Department of Transportation's five-year Strategic Highway Safety Plan to improve traffic safety in collaboration with experts from government and community agencies statewide.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of Gordon Hong from the Department of Transportation.

 

     Gordon Hong has experience with the Department of Transportation as a Highway Safety Specialist, the Department of Budget of the City and County of Honolulu as a Fiscal Analyst III, and the Department of Personnel Services as a Personnel Management Specialist.  His goal is to help reduce highway traffic fatalities by gearing efforts to the most important areas of concern that make the greatest difference in saving lives and preventing injuries.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of Justin Kollar from the Department of Transportation, Mayor of the County of Kauai, Kauai Police Department, and two individuals.

 

     Justin Kollar is currently a Deputy County Attorney, County of Kauai Office of the County Attorney and previously served as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, County of Kauai Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, when he handled a multitude of drunk driving and vehicle manslaughter cases.  He presently serves as legal advisor to the Kauai Police Department.  His experience has allowed him to forge excellent working relations with the police and prosecutors on Kauai in working on highway safety initiatives. 

 

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of Mitchell Roth from the Department of Transportation.

 

     Mitchell Roth is currently a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the County of Hawaii.  He received the Outstanding Service Award for 2011 from Mothers Against Drunk Driving.  As a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for eighteen years, Mr. Roth has prosecuted many traffic cases, drunk driving cases, and vehicular negligent homicide cases.  His goal is to help reduce the number of traffic crashes, injuries, and deaths on Hawaii's highways.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of Mark Scribner from the Department of Transportation.

 

     Mark Scribner is currently a Police Lieutenant with the Kauai Police Department.  In his twenty-five years of experience as a police officer, he has conducted traffic enforcement, traffic accident reporting, traffic investigations, and traffic scene management, and has formulated and implemented traffic safety plans.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of Jan Yokoyama from the Department of Transportation, North Hawaii Outcomes Project, and one individual.

 

     Jan Yokoyama has experience in traffic safety from her service on the Mayor's Highway Safety Council, North Hawaii Outcomes Project Motor Vehicle Crash Reduction Group, and Hawaii County Impaired Driving Task Force.  She has also been a child passenger technician for five years.  Her diverse experience with traffic safety groups has enabled her to collaborate with different partners associated with highway safety.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and International Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominees, has found the nominees to be qualified for the positions to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nominations.

 


Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation and International Affairs,

 

 

 

____________________________

J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair