STAND. COM. REP. NO.  315

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 525

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 525, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STATE PARKS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to prohibit smoking and the use of tobacco products within the state park system.  

The Department of Health, the Outdoor Circle, Coalition for  Tobacco-Free Hawaii, Beach Environmental Awareness Campaign Hawaii, Conservation Council for Hawaii, Surfrider Foundation, and several individuals provided testimony in support of this measure.  Many individuals provided testimony in opposition.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by including the term electronic smoking device under the definition of smoking.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 525, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Judiciary in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 525, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair