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House Transportation Committee advances noise-camera pilot, CDL changes, tighter penalties for repeat unlicensed driving and a slate of transport measures
Summary
The House Committee on Transportation heard more than a dozen bills Feb. 19, 2026, advancing multiple measures with amendments — including a DOT noise-detection camera pilot (cost estimate ~ $2–2.5M for 10 sites), lowering the CDL minimum age for intrastate driving, and a reworked bill to increase penalties for repeat unlicensed drivers when deaths occur. Several technical clarifications and fiscal placeholders were added for later committees.
The House Committee on Transportation on Feb. 19 reviewed and moved forward a heavy slate of transportation bills, approving multiple measures with amendments and placing several on hold for more technical work.
The committee adopted amendments and placeholder appropriations for HB1588, a Department of Transportation proposal to pilot noise-detection cameras. Deputy Shishido (HDOT) told the committee the department’s 10-location pilot, including installation and software/consultant costs, was "about 2 million, two or two and a half million," and DOT agreed to provide a per-camera cost estimate and work with the Department of Health on decibel standards before the next hearing.
Lawmakers also approved an HD1 for HB1696 to permit 18-year-olds to drive commercially within Hawaii (intrastate only). Industry witnesses led by Tina Yamaki of the Hawaii Transportation Association urged safeguards, proposing extra training and recordkeeping for 18–20-year-old drivers; the committee left a training-hours placeholder (HTA had recommended 320 hours) for later deliberation.
Security and jurisdiction were central in HB2333, which authorizes airport special district zones to clarify perimeter enforcement near terminals and runways. Colonel Koguro of HDOT Airports said establishing clear…
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