STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1093

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 94

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 Judiciary and Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 94, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SPECIAL ACTIVITY PERMITS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Land and Natural Resources to approve or deny an application for a special activity permit (SAP) for aquatic research within ninety days from the date that it was submitted; and

(2) Establish and appropriate $250,000 for two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) positions within the Division of Aquatic Resources to support the SAP review process.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources and three individuals. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committees find that any individual associated with certain institutions who collects regulated aquatic organisms or resources, uses regulated gear, or conducts activities in regulated aquatic areas for research, educational, management, or propagation purposes is required the hold a one-year SAP permit pursuant to section 187A-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes. Your Committees note the hardship on SAP applicants caused by the lengthy SAP review process, which can take over twelve months. This measure will facilitate the timely review of SAP applications and the issuance of these permits.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting a blank appropriation amount for the establishment of two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) positions within the Division of Aquatic Resources; and

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 94, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 94, S.D. 2.

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

________________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair