HB600 and SB1086 Pass
Two important bills have successfully passed the 2023 session of the Hawai’i State Legislature.
HB600 – Safe Routes to School Bill – has passed and is an important step forward in our goal towards vision zero and complete streets.
The bill appropriates $10 million for the next two years to be put towards Safe Routes to School projects and programs.
In addition to the funding, the bill also establishes a Safe Routes to School Advisory Committee.
Pulling directly from the Bill text – The Safe Routes to School Advisory Committee shall:
(1) Develop a comprehensive, statewide safe routes to school plan that shall include:
(A) Goals, strategies, and performance metrics that ensure accountability for improving safety, active transportation mode share, community investment in supportive programming, and infrastructure quality, pursuant to sections 286‑7.5 and 264-142;
(B) Methods to ensure stability and consistency of the safe routes to school program special fund, which shall provide for infrastructure projects and continuity of existing programmatic (non‑infrastructure) work;
(C) Recommendations to streamline and facilitate efforts by communities to apply for and implement projects pursuant to sections 286-7.5, 264-142, and 291C-3; and
(D) Identification of, and recommendations for, additional funding, planning, and programming that are inclusive and equitable pursuant to sections 286-7.5 and 264-142;
(2) Ensure timely and complete distribution of moneys accrued in the safe routes to school special fund, prioritizing continuity of existing programming;
These are important tasks for a committee made up of a variety of stakeholders to ensure Safe Routes to School is prioritized and implemented.
The second bill is SB1086. This renames the State Highway Safety Council to the State Highway Safety & Modernization Council and amends the composition and duties. The goal of this bill is to improve transportation outcomes by establishing mechanism enable better transparency and accountability for transportation efforts at HDOT. The council has a wide variety of stakeholders as members.
HBL has requested to represent people who bicycle on the Safe Routes to School Advisory Committee, and continue to represent on the State Highway Safety & Modernization Council.
Mahalo to everyone who wrote testimony and supported these efforts!
Hawai’i Public Radio covered the passing of HB600 – click here to learn more.