STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1349

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2023

 

RE:   S.B. No. 1505

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred S.B. No. 1505, S.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Department of Transportation to restrict vessels that have been reported to have engaged in specific unlawful, unpermitted, or unlicensed activities from entering or departing ports in the State's commercial harbor system.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation and Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

 

     Your Committee finds that this measure limits undersea mining that is harmful to undersea ecosystems and trafficking illegal commodities sourced from these mining activities.  Your Committee further finds that this measure gives the Department of Transportation authority to take action upon receipt of notice from a federal agency or law enforcement agency that a vessel or crew has engaged in specified unlawful activities.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (2)  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 Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1505, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1505, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

CHRIS TODD, Chair