Informing the Legislature that on July 8, 2024, the Governor signed the following bill into law: HB2475 HD2 SD1 CD1 (ACT 227).

This bill, signed into law on July 8, 2024, gives the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources stronger tools to enforce rules against unpermitted commercial ocean tours. It specifically targets operators who advertise trips on social media or other online platforms without proper permits, treating these advertisements as initial proof that a commercial activity is taking place. Under the new law, the burden of proof shifts to the accused operator to demonstrate that their activity is not commercial or that they hold a valid permit. This change aims to address enforcement difficulties where illegal operators previously claimed their trips were informal "friends and family" outings to avoid penalties.