STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2140-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: S.B. No. 2907

S.D. 1

H.D. 3

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2907, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MARINE AFFAIRS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Declare that the State is an ocean cluster;

(2) Establish the Office of Marine Affairs and Marine Affairs Task Force within the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation;

(3) Establish and appropriate funds for the Marine Affairs Coordinator position;

(4) Repeal the powers and duties of the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism over marine affairs; and

(5) Transfer the employees and functions of the Governor's Advisory Committee on Marine Affairs to the Office of Marine Affairs.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity; Agribusiness Development Corporation; Chamber of Commerce Hawaii; Namaka Algae, Inc.; Privateer Space Inc.; Gtscientific LLC; Ai.Fish Inc.; Hawaii Ocean Power Solutions; Pacific International Center for High Technology Research; Thrive HI; WaiHome LLC; Marine Genetics LLC; Upwell Collaborative; AKWA-DC; Hawaii Think Tank; Hohonu; and five individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of the Governor; Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Office of Planning and Sustainable Development; Hawaiʻi Technology Development Corporation; and Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaiʻi Authority.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the Marine Affairs Task Force to a Marine Affairs Governing Board; and

(2) 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 Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2907, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2907, S.D. 1, H.D. 3.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

CHRIS TODD, Chair