STAND. COM. REP. NO. 704

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 222

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 Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 222 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FIREWORKS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to extend the sunset date of the Illegal Fireworks Task Force and to appropriate moneys to the task force to support its continued operations.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Law Enforcement, Hawaiian Humane Society, Oahu Filipino Community Council, and thirteen individuals.

Your Committee finds that the work of the Illegal Fireworks Task Force, established pursuant to Act 67, Session Laws of Hawaii 2023, and its collaboration with law enforcement agencies are vital to public safety. Your Committee further finds that the task force has been successful in confiscating a number of illegal fireworks in the State, and that continued support for the task force will help ensure its long-term effectiveness.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Establishing the appropriation for the Illegal Fireworks Task Force as a new appropriation, instead of an amendment to Act 67, Session Laws of Hawaii 2023;

(2) Amending Act 67, Session Laws of Hawaii 2023, to require the task force to submit additional interim reports to the Legislature in 2026, 2027, 2028, and 2029, and a final report in 2030;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050; and

(4) Making the extension of the task force's sunset date effective June 29, 2025.

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. 222, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 222, S.D. 1.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair