STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1330-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 2182

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 2182 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO OCEAN STEWARDSHIP,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to make permanent the Ocean Stewardship Special Fund.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; The Nature Conservancy; Hawaiʻi Reef and Ocean Coalition; Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi; Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAuamo; and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Ocean Tourism Coalition.

Your Committee finds that this measure recognizes the economic and environmental importance of Hawaii's ocean resources and the need to protect them.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Modifying to whom the Ocean Stewardship User Fee applies;

(2) Instead of making permanent the Ocean Stewardship Special Fund, extending its sunset date to January 1, 2031;

(3) Changing its effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2182, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2182, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair