Bill > HCR170

This concurrent resolution requests the Hawaii Department of Transportation to establish a working group to explore and recommend federal, state, and county subsidies for waterborne cargo transportation. The resolution stems from a 2021 report highlighting Hawaii's unique dependency on maritime shipping, with over 98% of imported goods arriving via waterborne cargo and shipping costs representing up to 7.5% of goods' total cost. The proposed working group would include representatives from various state agencies, legislative bodies, county governments, and water carriers, and would be tasked with collaborating with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Hawaii's congressional delegation, and local transportation committees to develop potential subsidy programs. The group is specifically requested to work on establishing both federal and local cargo subsidy initiatives, with a requirement to submit a report to the Legislature by twenty days before the 2026 Regular Session. The resolution acknowledges that while agricultural and remote destination transportation have existing subsidies, general cargo transport to and within Hawaii currently lacks such financial support, and aims to address this gap by facilitating comprehensive discussions and potential legislative actions to reduce shipping costs and support food security.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HCR&billnumber=170&year=2025