STAND. COM. REP. NO. 374

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1254

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Public Safety and Military Affairs and Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1254 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FIREWORKS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to establish programs that encourage and reward the reporting of illegal fireworks activities.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by two private organizations and two individuals.  Testimony in opposition of this measure was submitted by one state agency.  Written testimony presented to the Committees may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committees find that seeking the help of the public to report illegal fireworks activities enables the authorities to better prevent and prosecute offenders that use illegal fireworks.  Your Committees also find that encouraging the public to report the use of illegal fireworks by providing a monetary reward is an innovative solution that addresses an illegal activity that has increased over the years.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Allowing the State Fire Council to work with local Crime Stoppers programs to encourage residents to anonymously report illegal fireworks activity;

     (2)  Subjecting persons convicted of illegal fireworks activities to the forfeiture of certain personal property;

     (3)  Deleting the requirement to maintain a minimum balance of $25,000 in the illegal aerial devices fund; and

     (4)  Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purpose of clarity.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety and Military Affairs and Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1254, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1254, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety and Military Affairs and Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs,

____________________________ J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair

____________________________ WILL ESPERO, Chair