STAND. COM. REP. NO. 218________

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.B. No. 734
                                     H.D. 1




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. 734 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THRILL CRAFTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to:

     (1)  Require thrill craft operators to complete a safety
          training course and obtain certification;

     (2)  Prohibits thrill craft operations within 1,000 feet of
          the shoreline;

     (3)  Allows citizen suits against thrill craft operators for
          violations;

     (4)  Requires all thrill craft operators to carry liability
          insurance; and

     (5)  Prohibits thrill craft access to State waters except
          from public boat launching ramps.

     Supporting testimony was submitted by the Sierra Club,
Windward Watersports Center, Boats/Hawaii Inc., and concerned
citizens.

     Testimony in opposition was received by the Department of
Land and Natural Resources, Kaneohe Bay Commercial Operators

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 218________
                                 Page 2

 
Association, Windward Sea Yacht Charters, Mid-Pacific of Hawaii,
Inc., and the Chairperson of the Thrill Craft Advisory Committee.

     Your Committee has amended this measure to include the
recommendations of the Thrill Craft Advisory Committee, which was
established in 1998 by Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 128.
Accordingly, your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Deleting the provision on citizen suits;

     (2)  Deleting the provision requiring liability insurance;

     (3)  Replacing the provision requiring DLNR to establish a
          safety training course and to provide certification
          upon completion of the course with a provision for the
          mandatory education for owners of recreational personal
          watercraft;

     (4)  Replacing the definition of thrill craft with the
          definition of personal watercrafts;

     (5)  Replacing all references of "thrill crafts" to read
          "personal watercrafts" and;

     (6)  Requiring that all personal watercraft users wear a
          personal flotation device which conforms to the impact
          resistance requirements established by the United
          States Coast Guard.

     Your Committee finds that this bill adequately addresses the
concerns over thrill craft safety without negatively impacting
upon the commercial thrill craft operators.

     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. 734, as amended herein, and
recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached
hereto as H.B. No. 734, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committees
on Consumer Protection and Commerce and Judiciary and Hawaiian
Affairs.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 218________
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                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Ocean Recreation
                                   and Marine Resources,



                                   ______________________________
                                   Roy M. Takumi, Chair