Senate committee advances bill to convert parking study into state program, assigns DOT to craft plan

A joint Senate committee voted Thursday to recommend passage of SB 10 92 with amendments that will convert a recently completed study on employee parking into a programmatic plan and transfer responsibility from DHEARD to the Department of Transportation.

Chair opened the measure by saying the committee would “turn this bill into a plan” and have DOT “create a plan around all the elements in the measure and then report back to us next year,” the committee record shows. Committee members then discussed whether the statute should require a program or simply fund further study.

A representative involved in the study said the research team had completed most work for the bill, including focus groups, an employee survey and spatial analysis, but had not produced a fully detailed implementation plan. “It’s not mandatory,” the study representative said of the proposed parking opt-out or cash-out option, explaining the program is designed as an incentive to reduce steady use of assigned state parking rather than a required removal of permits.

Members urged additional planning and detail before implementation. One member said the study’s draft programmatic eligibilities and cost estimates were helpful but that “they need a plan and actual needs,” underscoring the committee’s direction to produce a plan rather than leave the item at study status.

The Government Operations committee recorded its recommendation to pass SB 10 92 with amendments; the chair and vice chair voted aye, and Senators Moriwaki, San Buenaventura and Fevella recorded aye votes. The committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts recorded a parallel recommendation; its roll call included an aye vote from the chair, a nay from the vice chair, and recorded ayes from Senators Elefante, Kanuha and Decorte. The committees’ recommendations advance the bill with directions for DOT to develop an implementation plan.

The committees did not provide full implementation details such as an exact budget or the final set of program eligibilities; the study team reported only draft eligibilities and high-level cost estimates. The committee scheduled a report-back from DOT next year. The measure was forwarded with amendments rather than immediate implementation steps.