STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1784

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1200

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 1200, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE CONSERVATION AND RESOURCES ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to enable the use of unmanned aircraft in the enforcement of certain natural and cultural resource laws.

Specifically, this measure:

(1) Requires and appropriates moneys for the Department of Land and Natural Resources to establish an unmanned aircraft systems program that is compliant with applicable federal and state laws;

(2) Authorizes the use of unmanned aircraft systems to monitor, investigate, and obtain admissible evidence of natural and cultural resource violations; and

(3) Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to submit to the Legislature annual reports on the unmanned aircraft systems program.

Your Committees received written comments in support of this measure from Kuaaina Ulu Auamo; Malama Pupukea-Waimea; The Nature Conservancy, Hawaii and Palmyra; and five individuals.

Your Committees received written comments in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committees received written comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committees find that enforcement of many natural and cultural resource laws by the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement of the Department of Land and Natural Resources is difficult due to remote or inaccessible locations where violations may take place. Accordingly, your Committees also find that unmanned aircraft systems, otherwise known as "drones," employ live monitoring and recording and may be effective and economical tools in facilitating the Division's efforts.

Your Committees have amended this measure by clarifying the deadline for the notification of a waiver relating to the prohibition of unmanned aircraft systems manufactured or assembled by a covered foreign entity.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1200, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1200, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary,

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair

________________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair