SCR 205: 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.

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

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.

     WHEREAS, noise pollution is a public health hazard that continues to negatively affect residents of the State; and

     WHEREAS, the most common health problems caused by noise pollution are noise-induced hearing loss, high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep disturbances, and stress; and

     WHEREAS, concerts or events held at private venues in primarily residential areas cause higher levels of noise pollution that are not typical of those areas; and

WHEREAS, concerts or events held at private venues are not currently subject to permitting requirements; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Health is requested to convene a Community Noise Working Group to discuss policies and legislation with respect to noise sources affecting the community; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Working Group is requested to include the following members:

     (1)  The Director of Health, or the Director's designee, who is requested to serve as Chair of the Working Group;

     (2)  A member of the Senate, to be appointed by the President of the Senate;

     (3)  A member of the House of Representatives, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

     (4)  A member from the Honolulu City Council;

     (5)  A representative from the Department of the Attorney General;

     (6)  A representative from the Department of Law Enforcement;

     (7)  A representative from the Honolulu Police Department;

     (8)  A representative from the Office of the Public Defender;

     (9)  A representative from the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney for the City and County of Honolulu; and

    (10)  A noise expert knowledgeable in measuring noise emitted from concerts and events and assessing, understanding, and mitigating the effects of noise pollution, to be invited to participate by the Chair of the Working Group; and

    (11)  Any other individual deemed appropriate by the Working Group, to be invited to participate by the Chair of the Working Group;

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Community Noise Working Group is requested 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; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Health, President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Attorney General, Director of Law Enforcement, State Public Defender, Chair of the Honolulu City Council, Chief of Police of the Honolulu Police Department, and Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu.

Report Title: 

DOH; Noise Pollution; Concerts

SENATE CONCURRENT

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.

     WHEREAS, noise pollution is a public health hazard that continues to negatively affect residents of the State; and

     WHEREAS, the most common health problems caused by noise pollution are noise-induced hearing loss, high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep disturbances, and stress; and

     WHEREAS, concerts or events held at private venues in primarily residential areas cause higher levels of noise pollution that are not typical of those areas; and

WHEREAS, concerts or events held at private venues are not currently subject to permitting requirements; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Health is requested to adopt rules establishing a maximum decibel level for concerts or events at private venues generating noise in primarily residential areas; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Health.

Report Title: 

DOH; Noise Pollution; Concerts

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1553

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 205

       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.C.R. No. 205 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT 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 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)  Amending 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.C.R. No. 205, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 205, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health and Human Services,