STAND. COM. REP. NO.  859-14

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1684

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1684 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MANTA RAYS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Land and Natural Resources to adopt administrative rules establishing a permitting system that limits the number and capacity of boats and people at manta ray aggregation sites.

 

     The Ocean Tourism Coalition and an individual testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources provided comments.

 

     Your Committee notes that there was discussion regarding the potential scope of the rules to be adopted pursuant to this measure.  Specifically, your Committee discussed whether the rules should take into account the geographical and community context of delineated manta ray aggregation sites.   

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2030, to encourage further discussion; and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1684, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1684, H.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair