STAND. COM. REP. NO. 252

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 108

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts, to which was referred S.B. No. 108 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VESSELS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the Director of Transportation to adopt rules that regulate and limit noise from vessels using the commercial harbors, ports, roadsteads, docks, wharves, piers, quays, bulkheads, and landings of the State.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaiʻi Harbors Users Group.

Your Committee finds that as working harbors, many of the State's harbors produce large amounts of noise. While the Department of Transportation has the authority to adopt rules regulating the manner in which vessels may enter and moor, anchor, or dock in the commercial harbors, ports, and roadsteads, this authority does not allow the Department to regulate the excessive and harmful noises emanating from vessels. Accordingly, this measure extends this authority to the Department of Transportation to alleviate the concerns of individuals affected by the noise emitted from the State's harbors.

Your Committee notes that in testimony there were concerns that this measure has the potential to create economic harm by disrupting the State's critical shipping lifeline increasing costs and threatening jobs. Your Committee therefore finds that a noise study would be more appropriate.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have authorized the Director of Transportation to regulate and limit noise from vessels using the commercial harbors, ports, ports, roadsteads, docks, wharves, piers, quays, bulkheads, and landings of the State;

(2) Requiring the Department of Transportation to conduct a study with relevant stakeholders to address noise regulations and best practices as they apply in other ports in similar locations;

(3) Requiring the Department of Transportation to submit a report to the Legislature; and

(4) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 108, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 108, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts,

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CHRIS LEE, Chair