STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1597-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 2721

S.D. 2

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2721, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to clarify the penalties for violations of ocean recreation activities.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Office of the Public Defender. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General and Maui Chamber of Commerce.

Your Committee finds that this measure would enable the Department of Land and Natural Resources to impose sufficient penalties to deter repeat violations in the areas and facilities under the jurisdiction of the Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying the environmental court's ability to impose geographical restrictions;

(2) Defining certain terminology;

(3) Repealing the authority of the Department of Land and Natural Resources to impose administrative fines for water pollution violations; 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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2721, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2721, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair