STAND. COM. REP. NO. 911

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 791

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 791, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VESSELS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify various processes and responsibilities relating to unauthorized and abandoned vessels.

More specifically, this measure:

(1) Clarifies the processes for the removal of unauthorized vessels;

(2) Clarifies the criteria for determining whether a vessel has been abandoned;

(3) Reduces the time frame for claiming an unauthorized or abandoned vessel that has been impounded by the Department of Land and Natural Resources;

(4) Establishes penalties for the abandonment of a vessel in the waters of the State or on public property;

(5) Clarifies auction requirements regarding abandoned vehicles; and

(6) Authorizes the Department of Land and Natural Resources to charge impound storage fees for abandoned vessels.

Your Committees received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Department of Customer Services of the City and County of Honolulu, one member of the Honolulu City Council, and the Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition.

Your Committees find that this measure will allow the Department of Land and Natural Resources to more quickly and efficiently respond to unauthorized, abandoned, grounded, and derelict vessels.

Your Committees have amended this measure by making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 791, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 791, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary,

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair

________________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair