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Committee advances SCR 12 recognizing International Dark Sky Week; University to chair task force
Summary
The House Committee on Culture, Arts & International Affairs passed SCR 12 SD1 with amendments to recognize International Dark Sky Week and designate the University of Hawaii to chair the advisory task force, following testimony from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the University and Mauna Kea Observatories.
The House Committee on Culture, Arts & International Affairs voted to advance SCR 12 SD1 with amendments on April 11 in Conference Room 309, recognizing International Dark Sky Week and assigning leadership of the proposed advisory task force to the University of Hawaii.
The resolution urges state recognition of International Dark Sky Week and establishes a task force to advise on dark-sky practices and outreach. Committee members voted to reinsert amendments requested by the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and the University of Hawaii; the committee’s action specifies that the university will chair the task force.
DLNR’s Catherine Stanaway testified in support but expressed a preference that the department be able to chair if needed, saying, “We stand on our written testimony, just comments on the switch, from the University to being, I think in the bill it says that the Department is, we want the department to chair the committee and we support the university, being the chair, but the department can do it too. I guess. Yeah.” Suzanne Case, testifying for the University of Hawaii Office of Land and Ocean Conservation Futures, said the university provided background and language suggestions and “stand[s] on our written testimony with comments.” Elijah Johnson of the Mauna Kea Observatories said, “we all know, living in Hawaii, how amazing it is to lie under a night sky, see the stars, see the different things out there. That's not just a benefit for astronomy.”
Committee members recorded no questions in the hearing record before moving the measure forward. The committee’s recorded vote was: Chair Capella — aye; Vice Chair Kang — aye; Representative Garrett — aye; Representative Sayama — aye; Representative Ray Zoda — aye. Representative Lee was recorded as excused. The recommendation was adopted and the measure will be reported out of committee.
The measure does not appropriate funds; it requests formation of a task force and directs participants and lead roles in the resolution text. Next steps are floor scheduling and any companion Senate action if adopted by the full House.
