STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2539

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2534

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Transportation and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2534 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII HARBOR OCEAN SAFETY COMMITTEE,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish the Hawaii Harbor Ocean Safety Committee to enhance ocean safety within all harbors in the State.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Ocean Safety Team, Inc.; American Marine Corporation; The Maritime Group, LLC; Hawaii Pilots Association; Inland Boatmen's Union of the Pacific – Hawaii Region; Sause Bros; and two individuals.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Transportation.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Ocean Tourism Coalition.

 

     Your Committees find that because of its isolated island geography, Hawaii's seaports play a critical role in serving and supporting every facet of the local economy, including tourism, construction, national defense, agriculture, and all other industries.  According to testimony from The Maritime Group, Hawaii is the only major seaport system in the nation that does not have a formally structured harbor safety committee. 

 

     Your Committees further find that the Hawaii Harbor Ocean Safety Committee established by this measure would be required to prepare a Harbor Safety Plan, annually update the Plan, and submit annual reports to the Legislature.  According to testimony submitted to your Committees, harbor safety plans have been created in many other major port cities in the Unites States, including Long Beach, Los Angeles, Puget Sound, San Diego, and San Francisco. 

 

     However, your Committees recognize the concerns of the Department of Transportation regarding jurisdictional overreach and potential governmental inefficiencies that may result from the enactment of this measure.

 

     Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by inserting an effective date of January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Transportation and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2534, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2534, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Water and Land and Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Transportation and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs,

 

________________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair

 

________________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair