STAND. COM. REP. NO. 519

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 353

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 353 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRESPASS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify that when trespass involves public land, all state and county law enforcement officers are authorized to and shall enforce trespass laws, without regard to whether the land is owned by the State or by a county.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawai‘i System.

Your Committee finds that trespassing, whether on State or county lands, threatens the health and safety of the community. However, your Committee finds that better coordination is needed between law enforcement agencies who routinely decline responding to trespassing by citing their lack of jurisdiction. This measure will make government more effective and expedite the enforcement of trespass laws.

Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 353, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 353, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water and Land,

________________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair