Bill Text: HI SCR12 | 2025 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Recognizing International Dark Sky Week.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-02-05 - Referred to TCA. [SCR12 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2025-SCR12-Introduced.html

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THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	12
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

RECOGNIZING INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY WEEK.

 

 

     WHEREAS, the aesthetic beauty and wonder of a natural night sky is a shared heritage of all humankind; and

 

     WHEREAS, the experience of standing beneath a starry night sky inspires feelings of wonder and awe and encourages a growing interest in science and nature, especially among young people and out-of-area visitors within local communities; and

 

     WHEREAS, light pollution has significant negative economic and environmental consequences for the ecology and human health of all communities; and

 

     WHEREAS, eighty percent of the world's population, including many Hawaii residents, live under a dome of light pollution--excessive artificial lighting at night that disrupts natural darkness--and may never experience the visual wonder or ecological and health benefits of living under a dark sky; and

 

     WHEREAS, every resident has the right to enjoy darkness and an unpolluted view of the stars, just as they have the right to unpolluted water; and

 

     WHEREAS, Hawaii's unique cultural heritage is linked to star stories and our ancestors' navigational history; and

 

     WHEREAS, Hawaii's endemic birds rely on their view of the moon and stars to find their way; and

 

     WHEREAS, Hawaii's unique marine life has existed under dark skies for thousands of years; and

 

     WHEREAS, tourism is a significant industry in Hawaii, and tourists seek experiences that reflect Hawaiian values, including preserving Hawaii's natural beauty and dark star‑filled skies; and

 

     WHEREAS, Hawaii hosts many of the world's largest telescopes and respected observatories, including the Subaru Telescope, W. M. Keck Observatory, Gemini North Telescope, NASA Infrared Telescope Facility, James Clerk Maxwell Telescope, and others; and

 

     WHEREAS, visitors' interest in the State's telescopes and dark sky experience demonstrate the economic value of cultivating astrotourism; and

 

     WHEREAS, Hawaii is home to dozens of nocturnal endemic wildlife species that rely on undisturbed night environments to hunt, mate, and thrive; and

 

WHEREAS, DarkSky International is the globally recognized authority on light pollution and has established International Dark Sky Week to raise awareness about light pollution; and

 

WHEREAS, International Dark Sky Week aims to provide free education, resources, and solutions to the public to promote the protection and enjoyment of dark skies and encourage responsible outdoor lighting; 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 April 21 through April 28, 2025, shall be recognized as International Dark Sky Week in Hawaii; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that each resident is asked to join the Legislature in raising awareness and support for protecting Hawaii's precious dark sky resources; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor and Lieutenant Governor.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

 

 

 

 

Report Title:

International Dark Sky Week; Dark Skies; Light Pollution