HB 1259 Hawaii House · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Summary

Specifies that an engineering study is not required to be considered when reducing the maximum speed limit within ten miles per hour of the current speed limit for that road. Requires the Department of Transportation or a county, to the extent practicable, to consider National Association of City Transportation Officials guidance when setting a maximum speed limit for sections of highways with residential or commercial areas or schools immediately on a highway. (CD1)

Issues: ✓ Transportation

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

Jun 2025

Introduced Jan 22, 2025 Signed Jun 6, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB1259_HD1 → HB1259_SD1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill modifies how Hawaii sets maximum speed limits by clarifying when engineering studies are required and adding new guidance requirements. The key change is that engineering studies are no longer needed when reducing speed limits by 10 mph or less, making speed reductions easier to implement. Additionally, the Department of Transportation must now use National Association of City Transportation Officials guidance for highways near residential areas, commercial zones, or schools.

Scope change

The bill expands requirements for the Department of Transportation by adding mandatory guidance from the National Association of City Transportation Officials for specific highway types, while simultaneously reducing regulatory burden by exempting small speed reductions from engineering study requirements.

REQUIREMENT

Engineering study requirement is now waived when reducing maximum speed limits by 10 mph or less from the current limit

Department of Transportation must use National Association of City Transportation Officials guidance for highways with residential areas, commercial areas, or schools immediately adjacent

Clarified that engineering study requirements do not apply to speed limit reductions within one mile of schools

TECHNICAL

Bill number, legislative session, and effective date (July 1, 3000) remain the same

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Pierick excused (2).

lower

Apr 30, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 23; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 2 (Senator(s) McKelvey, San Buenaventura). Excused, 0 (none).

upper

Apr 24, 2025

Introduced

48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 04-30-25

upper

Apr 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 62).

upper

Apr 24, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 62) as amended in (CD 1).

lower

Apr 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 2 Ayes: Representative(s) Kila, Poepoe; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Pierick.

lower

Apr 23, 2025

Upper · Passed

The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Lee, C., Gabbard, Inouye, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Apr 22, 2025

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-23-25 10:30AM; Conference Room 329.

upper

Apr 21, 2025

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-22-25 10:40AM; Conference Room 329.

upper

Apr 17, 2025

Lower · Passed

Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Monday, 04-21-25 9:00AM in conference room 329.

lower

Apr 4, 2025

Amended

House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).

lower

Apr 3, 2025

Introduced

Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 559) in amended form (SD 1).

lower

Apr 3, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 1 (Senator(s) San Buenaventura). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Mar 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in JDC were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) San Buenaventura; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Mar 25, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 03-27-25 10:40AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 21, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 03-25-25 10:01AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 21, 2025

Committee

Reported from TCA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1299) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.

upper

Mar 13, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on TCA recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in TCA were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Lee, C., Inouye, Elefante, Kanuha, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Mar 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on TCA has scheduled a public hearing on 03-11-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Committee

Referred to TCA, JDC.

upper

Feb 28, 2025

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 74).

upper

Feb 27, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Pierick, Templo, Ward excused (4). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Feb 20, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Perruso, Takayama, Todd, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran.

lower

Feb 11, 2025

Committee

Reported from TRN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 372) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

lower

Feb 4, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on TRN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Kila, Grandinetti, Evslin, Kitagawa, La Chica, Miyake, Muraoka, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran.

lower

Jan 27, 2025

Committee

Referred to TRN, JHA, referral sheet 4

lower

Jan 23, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 22, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

16 primary · 1 co-sponsor