The Honolulu City Council convened on January 28, 2026, to consider several legislative items, with the most contentious being Bill 54 (2025), which proposed public transit fare increases. After extensive public testimony and council debate, an amendment to freeze fares failed, and the original bill passed on third reading by a vote of 6 to 3. Other bills and resolutions were adopted unanimously.
Okay, good afternoon, members, members of the public. We're reconvening. We're on page 16, page 16. From the committee on budget. Councilmember Okimoro. I move that committee report one committee 126 be adopted and Bill 54, 2025 CD2 as amended, passed third reading. Thank you. It's been moved and seconded, Councilmember Okimoto for the explanation. Relating to public transit. Thank you. Is there a motion to amend? Yes, Chair. I move that Bill 54 2025 CD2 be further amended to the proposed C FD1 identified as OCS 2026-0043 slash one slash 26 slash 2026 409 p.m. Second. There's uh it's been moved and seconded, Councilmember Dosantos Town for the explanation of the amendment. Chair, the proposed FD1 would retain the current fare structure that is uh not increase um the fares as proposed in the underlying bill. It would retain the provision that allows for the Department of Transportation Services to establish a single special ride fare to and from the airport. It would retain the current fares as they exist for individuals with extremely low incomes, and would delete the provision that would have increased the one-way passenger trip fare for any person issued a paratransit eligibility identification card. Thank you so much. So, Mr. Clerk, can we start with registered testifiers? In person, in person. Yeah, okay. Um is she still oh Mr. Chair, we do have some registered in person testifiers. Um Chu Lan Schubert Qua, Dale Vanderbrink, Jun Mee Cheng. Hello and welcome. Aloha. My name is Jimmy Chen, and I'm here to propose oppose uh the bill 54. My message is clear. The fare is not fair. Reason fair will extraparate uh Holano's affordability crisis and act as a regressive tax for people who rely on public transportation and deepen uh economic inequality in our city. Second, that 25 cents increase is designed to push people towards the holocar and create a digital barrier. But not everyone has a bank account or access to digital payment. Cash writer are disported uh mostly like seniors, immigrants, and our house residents. This policy excludes them. Uh the very community public transit uh is meant to serve. Means more cars, more traffic, and more emissions. You cannot promote climate codes uh while penalizing people for choosing public transportation. Public transportation is the essential service, not a luxury. The fair is not fair. Please reject bill 54 mahalo. Thank you. Sir, please come forward. Welcome. Aloha, uh, chair and members of this council. My name is Dale Vanderbrink. I am the second vice chair of the Alamoana Kakako Neighborhood Board, and this is my personal testimony. I speak in strong opposition to Bill 54. I first want to inform the council this week that the Alamoana Cockako neighborhood board as well as the McCoy neighborhood board both passed resolutions opposing Bill 54.