STAND. COM. REP. NO.  552

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 1388

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1388 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII OCEAN AND COASTAL COUNCIL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to protect our marine environment and resources by providing statutory authority to continue the Hawaii Ocean and Coastal Council, initially established by Executive Order No. 2005-01, to continue its information gathering, advising, and recommending functions to address Hawaii's ocean and coastal concerns.

     The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, Department of Health, Office of Planning, National Marine Sanctuary Program, the Director of the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, the Chair of the Marine and Coastal Zone Advocacy Council, and the legislative analyst for the Hawaii Audubon Society testified in support of this bill.  The Director and Associate Director of the University of Hawaii Sea Grant Program supported the intent of this bill.  The President of the Ocean Tourism Coalition supported this measure with amendments.  Hawaii's Thousand Friends opposed this measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1388 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 Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

KEN ITO, Chair