STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1176

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: S.B. No. 942
                                     S.D. 1
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Water and Land Use, to which was referred
S.B. No. 942, S.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HUNTING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to require the Department of
Land and Natural Resources to manage and preserve wildlife
sanctuaries for public hunting.  

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this bill
from the Board of Land and Natural Resources, Hawaii Citizens'
Rights PAC, Hawaii Rifle Association, Hawaii Hunting Advisory
Council and one individual, and comments on the bill from the
Hawaii Hunting Association and Sierra Club Hawaii Chapter. 

     Your Committee finds that all of Hawaii's game mammals are
non-native and, if left unchecked, pose a considerable threat to
Hawaii's native plants and wildlife.  In Hawaii, as in most other
locations, wildlife officials have found that hunting has
provided an excellent, cost-effective means of controlling
wildlife populations, as well as providing recreation and
subsistence for a large number of residents.  

     Your Committee revised the bill by:  

     1.   Providing that the department may enter into agreements
          for managing private lands for game management; 

     2.   Amending the definition of game management area to
          include habitat and populations in the purpose for
          areas designated; 


 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1176
                                 Page 2

 
     3.   Removing reference to the constraints of federal, state
          and county laws in the definition of game management; 

     4.   Removing the definition of public hunting area; 

     5.   Adding the task of preserving protecting and promoting
          public hunting to the duties of the department; and

     6.   Making technical, non-substantive changes for the
          purposes of style and clarity.  

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Water and Land Use that is attached to this report,
your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B.
No. 942, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass
Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 942, S.D.
1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Water and Land
                                   Use,



                                   ______________________________
                                   Romy M. Cachola, Chair