STAND. COM. REP. NO. 556

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 98

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 98, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AQUATIC RESOURCES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to strengthen the penalties for violations of the State's aquatic resources law.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources and Ocean Tourism Coalition.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii's aquatic resources are limited and need greater protection under the law than what is currently in place. The increased penalties proposed in this measure are long overdue and will help support the Department of Land and Natural Resources' efforts to protect and conserve aquatic resources in the short- and long-term.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that any equipment, article, instrument, aircraft, vehicle, vessel, business record, or other asset used in fishing, possession, or sale of aquatic life in violation of the aquatic resources law can be seized and forfeited; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 98, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 98, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair