STAND. COM. REP. NO.  832-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 3176

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 3176, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ADMINISTRATIVE PENALTIES FOR DAMAGE TO STONY CORAL AND LIVE ROCK,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to provide additional protections to our valuable reefs by establishing a more appropriate means of quantifying damage to living coral colonies and live rock.  Specifically, this bill directs the Board of Land and Natural Resources to impose administrative penalties for damages to stony coral and live rock, using an accepted economic valuation method to gauge the relative value of the particular area damaged.

     The Ocean Tourism Coalition and a concerned individual testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources opposed this measure.  The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, The Nature Conservancy, and several concerned individuals offered comments.

     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. 3176, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair