STAND. COM. REP. NO. 368-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1765

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1765 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SPEARFISHING SAFETY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish certain safety-warning requirements regarding spearfishing.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Freedive Safe Hawaii; Skeeprong LLC; Makana Hawaiʻi Incentives; and seven individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee finds that hypoxia, including shallow-water blackout, is a serious risk for individuals who participate in breath-hold spearfishing. Your Committee further finds that shallow-water blackout can lead to serious injury or death, as there is typically no warning before the diver loses consciousness. This measure seeks to increase public awareness of the risks of breath-hold spearfishing by requiring warning labels to be affixed to commercially sold or distributed spearguns and pole spears.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the safety warning to be displayed beginning July 1, 2027;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) 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 Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1765, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1765, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________

GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair