STAND. COM. REP. NO. 75

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 1454
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Economic Development, to which was
referred S.B. No. 1454 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PERSONAL WATERCRAFT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to implement the
recommendations of the Thrill Craft Advisory Committee (Advisory
Committee).

     Specifically, this measure:

     (1)  Imposes mandatory education and certification
          requirements for owners of personal watercraft;

     (2)  Requires use of personal flotation devices by occupants
          or person's towed by personal watercraft; and

     (3)  Redefines "thrill craft" as "personal watercraft".

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), the
Boat Owners Association of The State of Hawaii, Mid-Pacific of
Hawaii, Inc., Morning Star Cruises, Inc., and five individuals.

     Your Committee finds that Senate Concurrent Resolution
No. 128, Session Laws of Hawaii 1998, established a Thrill Craft
Advisory Committee to consider a wide range of issues relating to
personal watercraft operations.  This measure will implement a

 
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number of recommendations from the Advisory Committee, and will
increase the overall responsibilities of owners of personal
watercraft for the actions of any user.

     Your Committee supports the work of the Advisory Committee
and believes the recommendations incorporated in this measure
will help to achieve the desired level of safe, responsible
operation of personal watercraft within State waters.  Your
Committee has amended this measure as suggested by the DLNR to
clarify that the mandatory education and certification
requirements apply to owners, not users, of watercraft.  A
technical, nonsubstantive amendment was also made for the purpose
of style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Economic Development that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of S.B. No. 1454, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass
Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1454,
S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Economic
                                   Development,



                                   ______________________________
                                   LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair

 
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