STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1201

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    GOV. MSG. NO. 577

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred Governor's Message No. 577, submitting for study and consideration the nomination of:

 

Director of the Department of Transportation

 

G.M. No. 577

JADE BUTAY,

for a term to expire at noon on 12-05-2022,

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     Your Committee reviewed the personal history, resume, and statement submitted by Jade Butay for service as the Director of Transportation.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination for the reappointment of Jade Butay from the Office of the Governor; Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; Department of Human Resources Development; Department of Budget and Finance; Department of Health; Department of Agriculture; Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Department of Land and Natural Resources; Department of Public Safety; Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; State Health Planning and Development Agency; Office of Enterprise Technology Services; Office of Environmental Quality Control; Board of Water Supply; City and County of Honolulu Department of Facility Maintenance; Hawaiian Airlines; L&L Hawaiian Barbeque; Pacific Marine and Supply, Co.; GA Morris, Inc.; Hawaii Laborers-Employers Cooperation and Education Trust; APR Consulting, LLC; Hawaii Carpenters Apprenticeship and Training Fund; Hawaii Harbors Users Group; Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii; Hawaii Transportation Association; United Public Workers; Imanaka Asato, LLLC; Young Brothers, LLC; Airport Concessionaries Committee; Airlines Committee of Hawaii; SanHi Government Strategies; Matson; Hawaii Bicycling League; Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association; Max J. Swords and Associates, LLC; Hawaii Gas; Pacific Strategies, LLC; Filipina Advocacy Network; Filipinos for Affirmative Action; Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation; Advantage Health Care Provider, Inc.; and forty-two individuals.  Your Committee received comments on the nomination for the reappointment of Jade Butay from one individual.

 

     Upon review of the testimony, your Committee finds that Mr. Jade Butay's background, experience, and commitment to public service qualify him for reappointment as the Director of Transportation.  Your Committee notes that for the last eight years, Mr. Butay has served in various government positions and has gained extensive experience working in the private sector.  Your Committee believes that these experiences have equipped him with the necessary skills and knowledge to continue to manage one of the most critically important state departments.

 

     Mr. Butay first served as the Deputy Director for Administration at the Department of Transportation from 2011 to 2013, where he planned, directed, and coordinated various activities for the Airports, Harbors, and Highways Divisions.  Mr. Butay then moved on to become the Deputy Director of Labor and Industrial Relations from 2013 to 2014, where he assisted the Director in managing and directing the operations and functions of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.  Mr. Butay returned to the Department of Transportation in 2014 as the Deputy Director for Administration, where he functioned as the chief operation officer and oversaw the administrative functions of the Department.  Through his work as a Deputy Director for two state departments, Mr. Butay has gained a thorough understanding of the administrative responsibilities and challenges faced by the State and is well prepared to carry out those responsibilities and address those challenges.

 

     Most recently, Mr. Butay has been serving as the Director of Transportation since 2017.  In his capacity as the Director, Mr. Butay provides leadership and strategic direction with full responsibility for the Airports, Harbors, and Highways Divisions, where he oversees fifteen commercial and general aviation airports, ten commercial harbors, and nearly 2,500 miles of state highways, tunnels, and bridges.  Mr. Butay has proven his leadership skills by managing approximately 2,600 employees and has proven his ability to collaborate with major stakeholders, such as the Federal Aviation Administration, Transportation Security Administration, and other federal agencies.  Mr. Butay's experience as the Deputy Director for Transportation and as the current Director of Transportation have enabled him to gain an intimate understanding of the operations of the Department of Transportation and the Department's mission.

 

     Mr. Butay understands the important role transportation plays in the economic development of the State, as well as in the every day lives of Hawaii's citizens.  His current goals as the Director of Transportation are to attend to climate change and its effect on state transportation systems, address the critical need to rebuild the State's infrastructure, and improve mobility of the State.

 

     Your Committee believes that Mr. Butay's familiarity with the Department of Transportation, collaborative relationship with federal transportation agencies, and his dedication to improving the State's transportation infrastructure make him exceptionally qualified to continue serving as the Director of Transportation.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominee, has found the nominee to be qualified for the position to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nomination.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair