| 47 | | - | SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1962 required metropolitan planning organizations to be established for any urbanized area with a population of more than fifty thousand as a condition to eligibility for federal transportation financial assistance. Congress intended metropolitan planning organizations to serve as a forum for promoting collaboration among local communities and government agencies and to direct federal funds toward projects that increase access to opportunity and prosperity through improved multimodal pedestrian, bicycle, and transit options. The legislature further finds that there are two established metropolitan planning organizations operating in the State of Hawaii, one located in the county of Maui and the other in the city and county of Honolulu. According to the 2020 United States Census, which provides critical data that lawmakers, business owners, and many others use to provide daily services, products, and support for communities throughout the nation, the population of the county of Hawaii has grown to more than two hundred thousand; thus moving local officials to reexamine the feasibility of establishing a metropolitan planning organization to address the many transportation infrastructure and connectivity challenges exasperated by its growing population and topography. SECTION 2. (a) The department of transportation shall convene an intergovernmental task force to assist the county of Hawaii in: (1) Forming an agreement with the necessary governmental entities to establish a metropolitan planning organization for the county of Hawaii; (2) Developing a transportation improvement program for the urbanized areas in the county of Hawaii that is consistent with the federal metropolitan transportation plan; (3) Adopting priorities and planning processes to implement the highway projects of the transportation improvement program; and (4) Self-certifying that the metropolitan planning organization for the county of Hawaii has met all federal requirements. (b) To support the development of the metropolitan planning organization's transportation improvement program, the department of transportation shall provide the intergovernmental task force with a list of highway projects to be completed within four years pursuant to the state transportation improvement program. SECTION 3. The intergovernmental task force shall comprise the following members: (1) The governor or the governor's designee; (2) The mayor of the county of Hawaii or the mayor's designee; (3) A senator representing a district from Hawaii island, to be appointed by the president of the senate; (4) A representative representing a district from Hawaii island, to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; (5) A member of the Hawaii county council, to be appointed by the chairperson of the Hawaii county council; (6) The department of transportation's Hawaii district engineer; and (7) The director of the department of public works of the county of Hawaii or the director's designee. SECTION 4. The intergovernmental task force shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2023. The intergovernmental task force shall be dissolved on June 30, 2023. SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050. |
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| 47 | + | SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1962 required metropolitan planning organizations to be established for any urbanized area with a population over 50,000 as a condition to eligibility for federal transportation financial assistance. Congress intended metropolitan planning organizations to serve as a forum for promoting collaboration among local communities and government agencies and to direct federal funds toward projects that increase access to opportunity and prosperity through improved multimodal pedestrian, bicycle, and transit options. The legislature further finds that there are two established metropolitan planning organizations operating in the State of Hawaii, one located in the county of Maui and the other in the city and county of Honolulu. According to the 2020 United States Census, which provides critical data that lawmakers, business owners, and many others use to provide daily services, products, and support for communities throughout the nation, the population of the county of Hawaii has grown to over two hundred thousand; thus moving local officials to reexamine the feasibility of a metropolitan planning organization to address the many transportation infrastructure and connectivity challenges exasperated by its growing population and topography. SECTION 2. The department of transportation shall convene an intergovernmental task force to assist the county of Hawaii to: (1) Form an agreement with the necessary governmental entities to establish a metropolitan planning organization for the county of Hawaii; (2) Develop a transportation improvement program for the urbanized areas in the county of Hawaii that is consistent with the federal metropolitan transportation plan; (3) Adopt priorities and planning processes to implement the highway projects of the transportation improvement program; and (4) Self-certify that the metropolitan planning organization for the county of Hawaii has met all federal requirements. The department of transportation shall also provide the intergovernmental task force with a list of highway projects to be executed within the next four years from the state transportation improvement program to support the development of the metropolitan planning organization's transportation improvement program. SECTION 3. The intergovernmental task force shall be comprised of the following members: (1) The governor or his designee; (2) The mayor of the county of Hawaii or his designee; (3) A senator representing a district from Hawaii island, to be appointed by the president of the senate; (4) A representative representing a district from Hawaii island, to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; (5) A member of the Hawaii county council, to be appointed by the chairperson of the Hawaii county council; (6) The Hawaii district engineer from the department of transportation; and (7) The department of public works director of the county of Hawaii or his designee. SECTION 4. The intergovernmental task force shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2023. The intergovernmental task force shall be dissolved upon submittal of its report. SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050. |
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