STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2935

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2675

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2675, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

The purpose and intent of this measure is to codify the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal regarding life below water.

 

     Specifically, this measure establishes various goals to be achieved by the year 2030 or earlier, including:

 

(1)  Reducing marine pollution;

 

(2)  Managing and protecting marine and coastal ecosystems;

 

(3)  Effectively managing thirty percent of nearshore ocean waters;

 

(4)  By 2020, effectively regulating ocean harvesting;

 

(5)  By 2020, prohibiting fisheries subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing;

 

(6)  Minimizing and addressing the impacts of ocean acidification;

 

(7)  Conserving at least thirty percent of coast and marine areas;

 

(8)  Increasing scientific knowledge to improve ocean health; and

 

(9)  Providing small-scale artisanal fishers access to marine resources and markets.

    

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Department of Agriculture; Department of Land and Natural Resources; Office of Planning; The Nature Conservancy; OCC Legislative Priorities Committee, Democratic Committee; Oahu Economic Development Board; Hawaii Green Growth; Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii; and fifteen individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that codifying the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal in state law will establish a framework for the State to effectively address key challenges.  This measure also builds on Hawaii's adoption of goals aligned with the Paris Agreement, enacted by Act 32, Session Laws of Hawaii 2017.

 

     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. 2675, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair