Informing the Legislature that on July 8, 2024, the Governor signed the following bill into law: SB2575 HD1 CD1 (ACT 228).

This bill, known as the Hawaii Seabed Mining Prevention Act, prohibits the leasing of hard mineral mining on the state's seafloor. The law is based on the finding that seabed mining poses significant risks to marine ecosystems, cultural values, and existing ocean-dependent industries like fishing and tourism. By banning this activity, the legislation aims to protect Hawaii's diverse underwater environments and maintain the state's sovereignty over its ancestral waters.