STAND. COM. REP. NO.  723

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 427

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 427, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DARK NIGHT SKIES PROTECTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to preserve the quality of Hawaii's night sky by establishing a Dark Night Skies Protection Advisory Committee (Advisory Committee) to assist the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism in the development of a statewide dark night skies protection strategy.

University of Hawaii, Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, Department of Land and Natural Resources, and two concerned individuals supported this measure.  The County of Hawaii Office of the Mayor, Department of Transportation, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and a concerned individual offered comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Adding one member of the Land Use Commission, selected by the chairperson of the commission, to the Advisory Committee;

     (2)  Amending the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for consistency, clarity, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 427, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 427, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education,

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair