STAND. COM. REP. NO.  22

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 427

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 427 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DARK NIGHT SKIES PROTECTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to preserve the quality of Hawaii's night sky by reducing light pollution.  Specifically, this measure establishes a Dark Night Skies Protection Advisory Committee (Advisory Committee) to assist the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism in the development of a statewide dark night skies protection strategy.

The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, Department of Land and Natural Resources, University of Hawaii, and a few individuals supported this measure.  The Department of Transportation and the Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Authorizing the chairperson of the Advisory Committee to invite a representative of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to advise the Advisory Committee; and

     (2)  Dissolving the Advisory Committee on June 30, 2027.

     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. 427, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 427, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Higher Education.

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

____________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair