STAND. COM. REP. NO.1141-02

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: S.B. No. 2309

S.D. 1

H.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2309, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WATERCRAFT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require recreational vessels that travel beyond a mile from shore to have on board properly functioning emergency communication equipment.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Board of Land and Natural Resources, the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, the Hawaii Boaters Political Action Association, and a concerned individual.

Your Committee finds that requiring watercraft to carry a VHF radio or an emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) may reduce the time and cost of search and rescue operations that take place when recreational boaters unexpectedly fail to return to shore.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Including jet skis among the watercraft exempted from the application of this chapter; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2309, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2309, S.D. 1, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs,

 

____________________________

ERIC G. HAMAKAWA, Chair