Bill > SB2944

This bill requires the Board of Land and Natural Resources to create and implement rules for wildlife viewing that are very similar to the guidelines already provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a federal agency responsible for ocean and atmosphere. These rules are intended to protect native marine wildlife, such as Hawaiian green sea turtles and monk seals, which often use the state's beaches for resting, giving birth, and nursing, by preventing people from getting too close, disturbing, or interacting with them, especially as social media has amplified problematic behavior. Violations of these new rules will carry the same penalties as other violations of wildlife protection laws in Hawaii, and the Board must submit annual reports to the Legislature on their progress in adopting these rules until they are finalized, with the entire act taking effect on July 1, 2050.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=2944&year=2026