HB 760 Summary

• Clarifies the Department of Land and Natural Resources' rulemaking authority under HRS §187A-5 to include "any other restriction or requirement as deemed necessary" to protect and conserve aquatic life, not limited to the specified examples of size limits, bag limits, seasons, permits, and gear restrictions.

• Expands the Board of Land and Natural Resources' ability to adopt, amend, or repeal temporary rules by formal board action at publicly noticed meetings if necessary to respond to: rapidly changing resource conditions, new or previously benign aquatic nuisance species, newly available technology, or newly available data.

• Establishes that temporary rules adopted under this expanded authority are effective for an initial period of no longer than two years and subject to legislative approval and board renewal, with rules taking effect ten days after formal board action.

• Creates enhanced penalty structure for violations of rules addressing previously benign aquatic nuisance species: up to $50,000 per day of violation for first offense and up to $100,000 per day for subsequent violations.

• Effective date: June 30, 3000.