STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2630

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                   

 

RE:     S.B. No. 3011

        S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 3011 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NOISE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Make it unlawful for any non-government entity or agent thereof to operate a weed whacker in or within one hundred feet of a residential zone, except between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on most days; and

 

     (2)  Define weed whacker.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from five individuals.

 

     Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health and two individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that the sound from weed whackers poses a public health concern for the State.  As the loud noises from weed whackers may disrupt the peace in residential neighborhoods, restricting the usage of weed whackers to certain times of day may alleviate sound nuisances and the negative health consequences that can result therefrom.  Therefore, this measure limits the hours of permissible weed whacker usage to address public health concerns in Hawaii's neighborhoods.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Extending the permissible time frame until 7:00 p.m., rather than 6:00 p.m.; and

 

     (2)  Inserting an effective date of December 31, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3011, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3011, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health and Human Services,

 

 

 

________________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair