STAND. COM. REP. NO. I
Honolulu, Hawaii
APR 0 2 2025
RE: S.R. No. 165
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 Health and Human Services, to which was
referred S.R. No. 165 entitled:
"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO
ADOPT RULES ESTABLISHING A MAXIMUM DECIBEL LEVEL FOR CONCERTS
OR EVENTS AT PRIVATE VENUES GENERATING NOISE IN PRIMARILY
RESIDENTIAL AREAS,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the
Department of Health to adopt rules establishing maximum decibel
level for concerts or events at private venues generating noise in
primarily residential areas.
Your Committee received comments on this measure from the
Environmental Health Services Division of the Department of
Health.
Your Committee finds that noise pollution is a public health
hazard that continues to negatively affect residents of the State,
leading to health problems such as noise-induced hearing loss,
high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep disturbances, and
stress. Your Committee further finds that concerts or events held
at private venues are currently not subject to permitting
requirements. Accordingly, this measure supports public health by
requesting the Department of Health to adopt rules to reduce
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 STAND. COM. REP. NO.
Page 2
excessive noise pollution from concerts or events held at private
venues.
Your Committee notes the concern raised in testimony
regarding the complexity of regulating noise pollution due to
overlapping jurisdictions among the Department of Health, county
law enforcement agencies, and county code compliance programs,
depending on the noise source and circumstances. Your Committee
acknowledges that requesting the Department of Health to adopt
rules without conducting due diligence into the specific issues of
noise pollution regulation and overlapping jurisdictions is likely
to have significant negative unintended consequences. Therefore,
there is a need to amend this measure to address this concern.
Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Requesting the Department of Health to convene a
Community Noise Working Group to discuss policies and
legislation with respect to noise sources affecting the
community, rather than adopt rules establishing a
maximum decibel level for concerts or events at private
venues generating noise in primarily residential areas;
(2) Inserting language requesting the Community Noise
Working Group to include the Director of Health or the
Director's designee as chair of the working group, other
stakeholders from the State and City and County of
Honolulu, and a noise expert;
(3) Inserting language to request the Community Noise
Working Group to submit a report of its findings and
recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to
the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the
convening of the Regular Session of 2027;
(4) TXmending its title accordingly; and
(5) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the
purposes of clarity and consistency.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this
report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R.
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 STAND. COM. REP. NO.
Page 3
No. 165, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the
form attached hereto as S.R. No. 165, S.D. 1.
Respectfully submitted on
behalf of the members of the
Committee on Health and Human
Services,
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 The Senate
Thirty-Third Legislature
State of Hawaii
Record of Votes
Committee on Health and Human Services
HHS
Bill / Resolution No.:* Committee Referral: Date:
5^ IG? HHs
The Committee is reconsidering its previous decision on this measure.
If so, then the previous decision was to:___________________________________
The Recommendation is:
Pass, unamended Pass, with amendments __ Hold __ Recommit
2312 2311 2310 2313
Members Aye Aye (WR) Nay Excused
SAN BUENAVENTURA. Joy A. (C)
AQUINO, Henry J.C. (VC)
HASHIMOTO, Troy N.
KEOHOKALOLE, Jarrett
FEVELLA, Kurt ex'
TOTAL
Recommendation:
Q-Adopted Q] Not Adopted
Chair’s or Designee’s Signature;.^^^----^
Distribution: Original Yellow Pink Goldenrod
File with Committee Report Clerk's Office Drafting Agency Committee File Copy
*Only one measure per Record of Votes
Revised: 12/09/24