STAND. COM. REP. NO. 393-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2027

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 2027 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LIGHT POLLUTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish the Dark Night Skies Protection Advisory Committee within the Department of Land and Natural resources and expedite the repeal of the existing Dark Night Skies Protection Advisory Committee within the University of Hawaii.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; University of Hawaiʻi System; Hawaii's Thousand Friends; Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce; Hawaiʻi Island Chamber of Commerce; DesignLights Consortium; Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition; Feather and Fur Animal Hospital; Maunakea Observatories; The Outdoor Circle; and numerous individuals.

Your Committee finds that light pollution harms wildlife, interferes with astronomical research, and creates unnecessary costs for the State. The existing Dark Night Skies Protection Advisory Committee was established within the University of Hawaii to develop a statewide Dark Night Skies Protection Strategy to address concerns related to light pollution. Your Committee believes that restarting this effort under the Department of Land and Natural Resources would facilitate the advisory committee's ability to develop and complete this important task.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2027, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2027, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair