STAND. COM. REP. NO.  147

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1010

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 1010 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE COMMUTER BENEFITS PROGRAM,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to reduce the negative impacts inherent to widespread use of motor vehicles including traffic congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and a reliance on fossil fuels in the transportation sector.  Specifically, this measure promotes the use of commuter benefits programs by allowing counties to adopt ordinances requiring employers to offer employees specified commuter benefits options to encourage the use of alternative modes of transportation to commute to and from work.

 

     Enterprise RideShare testified in support of this measure.

 

     Commuter benefits programs are employer-provided benefits programs that allow employees to reduce their transportation costs for transit, vanpooling, and biking under section 132(f) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, by permitting employees to use pre-tax dollars, subject to monthly limits, to pay for their commuting expenses.  Your Committee finds that the use of such programs to promote alternative forms of transportation will lead to an enhanced quality of life and help reduce Hawaii's dependence of fossil fuels.

 

     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. 1010 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,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

HENRY J.C. AQUINO, Chair