STAND. COM. REP. NO. 296

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.B. No. 1181
                                     




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ocean Recreation and Marine Resources, to
which was referred H.B. No. 1181 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AQUATIC RESOURCES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to allow the Department of Land
and Natural Resources (DLNR) to clarify and consolidate the
penalty provisions related to aquatic resources under subtitle 5
of title 12, of the Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), by:

     (1)  Establishing minimum fines and separate minimum and
          graduated penalties for chapters 187A, 188, 189 and 190
          of the HRS; and

     (3)  Increasing the classification for the criminal offense
          of using poisons, explosives and electrofishing devices
          to a class C felony.

     DLNR testified in support of this measure. Boats Hawaii Inc.
opposed this bill.

     In the past, the Department has experienced difficulty in
stressing the need to protect our State's natural resources to
the courts and that more substantial penalties are required to
enforce State regulations.  This measure would then aid the
Department in their enforcement of laws impacting our aquatic
resources, by consolidating and refining the penalties.    
 

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 296
                                 Page 2

 
     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Ocean Recreation and Marine Resources that is
attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the
intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1181 and recommends that it pass
Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Ocean Recreation
                                   and Marine Resources,



                                   ______________________________
                                   Roy M. Takumi, Chair