STAND. COM. REP. NO. 951

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1515

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1515, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to increase the amount of fine that may be imposed for a violation of the State's harbor laws or rules.

     Specifically the measure increases the monetary ceiling for fines from $10,000 to $27,500.

     The Department of Transportation submitted comments in support of the bill.

     Your Committee finds that the fines currently imposed for violations of state harbor laws and rules are well below the amount federal and state agencies may impose on landowner's for violations of environmental regulations and are insufficient to function as a deterrent.

     Your Committee amended the bill to make technical nonsubstantive changes for clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1515, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1515, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair