STAND. COM. REP. NO. 551

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 536

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Economic Development and Technology, to which was referred S.B. No. 536 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STARLIGHT RESERVE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to develop, with the assistance of a temporary advisory committee, a statewide starlight reserve strategy to preserve the quality of the night sky for astronomical observation.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, University of Hawaii at Manoa Institute for Astronomy, Hawaiian Astronomical Society, Haleakala Amateur Astronomers, Maui Astronomy Club, Windward Ahupua'a Alliance, and four concerned individuals.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that the quality of the night sky in Hawaii is unique and is a valuable natural resource that needs to be protected.  Your Committee also finds that specific practices and safeguards are necessary to preserve the quality of the night sky in Hawaii for continued astronomical observation that is superior to the rest of the United States.  Your Committee further finds that the development and implementation of a starlight reserve strategy will help to prevent the night sky in Hawaii from light pollution.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting section 5(b) of this measure relating to the establishment of a statewide intelligent lighting law;

     (2)  Adding a representative of the Hawaiian Astronomical Society as a member of the temporary advisory committee;

     (3)  Adding a lighting engineer as a member of the temporary advisory committee; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development and Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 536, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 536, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development and Technology,

____________________________

CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair