HB2040 Summary

• Removes criminal penalties (imprisonment up to 30 days) for violations of boating laws in Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 200, Part II, making violations civil offenses instead
• Maintains civil fines of $50 to $1,000 per violation, with each day of violation constituting a separate offense
• Changes enforcement from arrest-based system to citation-based system, requiring enforcement officers to issue citations for observed violations rather than making arrests
• Allows environmental court to deprive violators of vessel operating privileges for up to 30 days in addition to or in place of fines
• Establishes failure to appear at scheduled citation hearing as a separate civil violation subject to administrative rules