STAND. COM. REP. NO. 97

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.B. No. 420

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water, Land, & Ocean Resources, to which was referred H.B. No. 420 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HARBORS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to support and promote the commercial use of the state small boat harbors and other facilities while avoiding negative impacts to the environment and public health. This bill authorizes the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to:

(1) Maximize the number of commercial use permits for small boat harbors, launching ramps, offshore mooring, and other facilities under the jurisdiction of DLNR; and

(2) Establish limits on or revoke these permits for particular types of commercial activity,

depending on the actual or potential negative impact of commercial activity on public health or the environment.

A concerned citizen testified in support of this bill. DLNR and the Hawaii Boaters Political Action Association testified in opposition to this bill.

 

Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1) Adding a purpose section that cites the need to reasonably balance the use of public facilities, including the state small boat harbors, among its stakeholders. It also expresses the frustration of commercial vessel owners who have moorage slips, but lack the commercial use permit necessary to do business legally within the harbor;

(2) Authorizing DLNR to limit or maximize the number of commercial use permits; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, & Ocean Resources that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 420, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 420, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, and Ocean Resources,

 

____________________________

EZRA R. KANOHO, Chair