STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2657
Honolulu, Hawaii
RE: S.B. No. 3053
S.D. 2
Honorable Donna Mercado Kim
President of the Senate
Twenty-Seventh State Legislature
Regular Session of 2014
State of Hawaii
Madam:
Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 3053, S.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS TEST SITES,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to safely integrate the use of unmanned aerial systems.
Specifically, this measure:
(1) Establishes an advisory board to oversee and manage unmanned aerial systems test site operations;
(2) Establishes the Hawaii unmanned aerial systems test site chief operating officer position to manage the operations of the Hawaii unmanned aerial systems test sites and serve on the Pan-Pacific Unmanned Aerial Systems Test Range Complex management team; and
(3) Appropriates $470,000 to the University of Hawaii to staff and operate Hawaii's unmanned aerial systems test site activities.
Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, State of Hawaii Department of Defense, Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, University of Hawaii Research and Innovation, University of Hawaii at Hilo, McDowell Group Study, and two individuals. One individual submitted written comments on the measure.
Your Committee finds that there is a need to safely integrate unmanned aerial systems into national air space and Hawaii offers many unique qualities to support these operations. Your Committee further finds that the Federal Aviation Administration, at the direction of the United States Congress, designated Hawaii, in partnership with Alaska and Oregon, as one of six national unmanned aerial test sites to research and develop unmanned aerial systems operating standards and regulations. Unmanned aerial systems research and development represents an emerging $70 billion industry that will help launch the next generation of aviation technologies. By establishing a dedicated team to oversee and manage these operations in Hawaii, we will be able to participate as both a major contributor to and beneficiary of this global enterprise.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Exempting the chief operating officer position from the civil service system;
(2) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount;
(3) Changing the effective date to July l, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and
(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.
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. 3053, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3053, S.D. 2.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,
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____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Chair |
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