STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3538

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 19

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water, Land, Culture and the Arts, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 19 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO COLLABORATE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND STATE PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL COMMISSION TO DEVELOP A STUDENT CORAL STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Land and Natural Resources to collaborate with the Department of Education and State Public Charter School Commission on the development of a Student Coral Stewardship Program.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education and Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee finds that the State's coral reefs, while vital for local aquaculture, environmental resilience, and economic stability, are suffering from the impacts of climate change and human interference. Furthermore, chemicals found in sunscreens have been scientifically proven to facilitate coral bleaching events. Your Committee believes that previous efforts by the Legislature in restricting the sale and usage of environmentally harmful sunscreens were limited due to lack of public education and awareness regarding reef-safe practices. This measure will request the guided expansion of environmentally safe practices throughout the State's education system, informing and empowering the next generation to preserve and restore irreplaceable natural resources.

Your Committee notes that the intention of this measure is not to create and implement a Student Coral Stewardship Program, but rather to establish a framework for what the program might look like. Amendments to this measure are therefore necessary to reflect this clarification of intent.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that the Division of Aquatic Resources of the Department of Land and Natural Resources is requested to collaborate with the Department of Education and State Public Charter School Commission to develop and propose a framework for a Student Coral Stewardship Program that assists with public education, outreach, and reef-safe sunscreen awareness at state beaches;

(2) Specifying that the Division of Aquatic Resources, rather than the Department of Land and Natural Resources, is requested to submit a report to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2027 that summarizes collaborative efforts, including input and perspectives from participating students, and that presents any legislative, policy, or funding recommendations necessary to advance coral reef protection and student stewardship initiatives;

(3) Requiring a certified copy of this measure to be transmitted to the Administrator of the Division of Aquatic Resources;

(4) Amending its title accordingly; and

(5) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 19, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 19, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, Culture and the Arts,

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CHRIS LEE, Chair