STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2569

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2426

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Water, Land, Culture and the Arts, to which was referred S.B. No. 2426 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Allow the Department of Land and Natural Resources to contract or form a partnership with private parties to assist with the maintenance and management of sunscreen dispensers at all state beaches, as well as publicize that the mineral-based sunscreen in these dispensers is more protective of the coral reefs of the State; and

(2) Appropriate funds for the installation, maintenance, management, and operation of non-chemical sunscreen dispensers on all state beaches.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Hawaiʻi Reef and Ocean Coalition, and Friends of Hanauma Bay.

Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Skin Cancer Coalition.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Public Access to Sunscreen Coalition.

Your Committees find that in 2018, the State banned the sale of any sunscreen that contained oxybenzone or octinoxate, two toxic chemicals that are known to damage reefs, in an effort to protect the State's oceans. However, sunscreen is an essential preventative agent to protect humans from skin cancer. Opponents of the prohibition on the sale of certain sunscreens have expressed concerns with limited stock of approved sunscreens available on island for consumers. Your Committees believe that visitors and residents of the State should have equitable access to reef-safe sunscreen. Therefore, this measure will further protect the State's marine ecosystems and encourage safe sun exposure for residents and tourists in the State.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting a blank appropriation amount; and

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

Your Committees note that this measure, as amended, contains an unspecified appropriation amount. Should your Committee on Ways and Means choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committees respectfully request that it consider inserting an appropriation amount of $100,000 to install and maintain the sunscreen dispensers at all state beaches.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Water, Land, Culture and the Arts that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2426, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2426, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Water, Land, Culture and the Arts,

________________________________ CHRIS LEE, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair