CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 109

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 1200

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

C.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 1200, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, entitled:

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

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require and appropriate funds for the Department of Land and Natural Resources to establish an Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program that is compliant with federal and state laws;

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

(3) Beginning January 1, 2026, require an annual report to the Legislature on the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Authorizing, rather than requiring, the Department of Land and Natural Resources to adopt rules related to the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program;

(2) Inserting an appropriation amount of $125,000 for the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program for fiscal year 2023-2024;

(3) Adding the requisite information for making an appropriation in excess of the general fund expenditure ceiling pursuant to article VII, section 9, of the Hawaii State Constitution and sections 37-91 and 37-93, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

(4) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2023; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1200, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1200, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE Chair	____________________________ NICOLE E. LOWEN Co-Chair
____________________________ MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO Co-Chair	____________________________ DAVID A. TARNAS Co-Chair
	____________________________ ELLE COCHRAN Co-Chair