State Legislation/Advocacy

Update and Action on  Hawaii’s Complete Streets Bill – SB 718

As you may know, HPHA is a member of One Voice for Livable Islands that is leading the community charge to advance the bill.  Other members of One Voice include AARP Hawaii, Hawaii Bicycling League, Sierra Club, American Planning Association, Injury Prevention Advisory Committee, Nutrition and Physical Fitness Coalition, UH, Center for Smart Growth and Community Design, Peoples Advocacy for Trails Hawaii (Big Island), Maui Bicycling Alliance, and PATH (on Kauai).

UPDATE

• The Complete Streets bill has passed through both Senate and House, and is now in Conference Committee.
• SB 718 directs the Hawaii Department of Transportation to adopt a complete streets policy regarding all future transportation projects, AND
• establishes a temporary taskforce to develop design standards and guidelines that support complete streets.
  

Click here for a description of Complete Streets and what it can do for Hawaii:
http://www.pathhawaii.org/careers.htm

 
OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE ACTION

While the bill is in Conference committee, we need to keep a steady drum beat of visibility for the issue. Please email Jackie Boland, AARP HI (jboland@aarp.org) or call her at 545-6003 if you want to be involved in any of these activities on behalf of HPHA:

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR –   Ideally, we need 6 letters to the editor (2 each week – one to the Advertiser and one to the Star Bulletin) urging for a complete streets policy. Letters need to be 150 words or less. Key points would include: tell you personal story and end with urging Hawaii Legislature to pass SB 718.

PRESS CONFERENCE TO HIGHLIGHT THE NEED – The press event will feature pedestrians, cyclists, and the disabled who have been hit or profoundly negatively affected by our lack of Complete Streets. In addition to those who will be speaking, we need to show support for the issues by filling the room.  Come represent HPHA.

APRIL 18 – HEALTHY KIDS DAY – It’s possible that a sign waiving activity will be held. Call if you’d be interested in participating.
 
If the bill gets through conference, we’ll need to plan an additional visibility events.  If you are interested in receiving more information on the current and upcoming events to keep the Complete Streets bill in the public view, please email Therese Argoud, HPHA Representative to One Voice (targoud@hawaii.rr.com).