RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT.

SB1092

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

1092

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

Relating
to Transportation Demand Management
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

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SECTION 1.
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The
legislature finds that ground transportation makes up thirty-eight per cent of
transportation emissions in the State, and light-duty vehicles make up eighty‑five
per cent of those emissions.
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The
legislature recognizes that reducing vehicle miles traveled by commuters will
be a key component to meeting the State's decarbonization goals, achieved by promoting
alternative modes of transportation, including walking, rolling, skating,
biking, or using public transit, carpool, vanpool, and ridesharing.

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The legislature further finds that Hawaii state
government employees have limited commuter benefits.
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In 2024, the house of representatives passed House
Resolution No. 191, urging the department of accounting and general services
and department of human resources development to evaluate subsidizing public
transit for public employees.
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Currently,
the only transportation benefit the State offers is authorization for
government employees to use pre-tax paycheck dollars to purchase transit passes
and parking pursuant to Internal Revenue Service regulations.
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The State indirectly subsidizes employee parking
stalls in downtown Honolulu as workplace parking in state facilities at far
below market rates for dedicated parking, valued between $130-$238 per month.
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However, the State provides no subsidy to
employees who use public transit, carpooling, vanpooling, or walking, rolling,
and biking.

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The legislature also finds that opting for
public transit and active modes of transportation over private vehicles for
commutes helps employees save money on energy and fuel, insurance, parking, and
vehicle maintenance costs, which can reduce the cost of living.
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In addition, active modes of transportation
can enhance quality of life, health, and well-being through physical activity.

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The legislature notes that state employee
focus groups conducted in July and August 2024 by the Oahu metropolitan
planning organization revealed that fifty-four per cent of focus group
participants would ride public transit to work if transit passes were fully
subsidized or discounted and forty-eight per cent stated they would walk, bike,
or ride a scooter to work with a financial incentive.
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The focus groups also revealed that almost
thirty per cent of participants were unaware that they could pay for a public
transit pass using pre-tax deductions from their paycheck.
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Education, outreach, and promotion are
integral to effectively promoting active and shared modes of transportation,
which can encourage mode shift and lead to cost savings for state employees.

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The legislature also notes that other
jurisdictions, including Redmond, Washington, have implemented transportation
demand management programs to reduce vehicle miles traveled and improve employee
transportation benefits.
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As a result,
these jurisdictions have reported increased employee retention and decreased
tardiness or absences upon participation in the commuter benefits program.
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These parking opt-out programs enable and
encourage employees to use active and shared modes of transportation to get to
work by offering a financial incentive.
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Parking opt-out programs have been shown to decrease employee vehicle
miles traveled by as much as twelve per cent.

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Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to require
the department of accounting and general services, in collaboration with the
department of human resources development, and in coordination with the Oahu metropolitan
planning organization, to establish and implement a comprehensive
transportation demand management program for all state government employees to
reduce vehicle emissions and miles traveled by single-occupancy vehicles.

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SECTION 2.
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(a)
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The departments of accounting
and general services and human resources development shall collaboratively
establish, develop, and implement a comprehensive transportation demand
management program for all state government employees within the department of
accounting and general services for administrative purposes.
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The program shall encourage the use of
healthy, economical, and environmentally sustainable modes of transportation
and discourage the use of single-occupancy commuting.

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(b)
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One
permanent full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) transportation demand management
program co-administrator position shall be established in the:

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(1)
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Department
of accounting and general services; and

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(2)
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Department
of human resources development;

to oversee
the development and implementation of the comprehensive transportation demand
management program pursuant to this Act.

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(c)
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The comprehensive transportation demand management program shall work
collaboratively and in coordination with the Oahu metropolitan planning
organization to administer and promote the program.
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The program shall also distribute education
and outreach materials to state and private sector employees, promoting the
benefits of transportation demand management.

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(d)
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All
state workplaces shall appoint a volunteer employee transportation coordinator.

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The transportation demand management
program's co-administrators, pursuant to subsection (b), shall host a meeting
with the volunteer transportation coordinators not less than once per month to
assist with the distribution of educational and marketing materials and provide
guidance on encouraging employees to shift modes of commuting.

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(e)
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Pursuant
to the requirements in this Act, the department of accounting and general
services shall:

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(1)
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In
coordination with county transit agencies, offer fully subsidized public
transit and bikeshare passes as a benefit option to all state government
employees.
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The department shall integrate
the public transit and bikeshare passes with employee badges in accordance with
existing transit pass badging programs; and

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(2)
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Authorize
and develop a parking opt-out program, providing a financial incentive, as determined
by the department, to employees who opt out of offered parking at state parking
facilities.

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SECTION 3.
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There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii
the sum of $
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or so much thereof
as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much
thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the transportation
demand management program, including:

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(1)
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Two
permanent full-time (2.0 FTE) co-administrator positions, pursuant to this Act;

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(2)
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Full
subsidization of public transit and bikeshare passes for all state employees;
and

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(3)
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A
financial incentive for employees who opt out of parking, as determined by the
department of accounting and general services.

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The sums

appropriated shall be expended, respectively, by the:

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(1)
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Department
of accounting and general services; and

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(2)
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Department
of human resources development;

for the
purposes of this Act.

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SECTION 4.
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This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

DAGS;
DHRD; Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization; State Employees; Commuting;
Transportation Demand Management Program; Benefits; Parking Opt-Out; Bikeshare;
Appropriation

Description:

Establishes
a transportation demand management program to
reduce vehicle emissions
and miles traveled by single-occupancy vehicles.
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Establishes 2 permanent full-time equivalent
(2.0 FTE) co-administrator positions, 1 in the department accounting and
general services and 1 in the Department of Human Resources Development.
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Subsidizes public transit and bikeshare
passes for state employees.
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Authorizes
incentives for parking opt-out.
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Appropriates moneys.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.