STAND. COM. REP. NO. 286-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 2577
                                     




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Water and Land Use, to which was referred
H.B. No. 2577 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HUNTING LICENSES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to increase resident and
nonresident hunting license fees, to require applicants for a
license to disclose if they are prohibited from using firearms
for hunting, and to authorize the Department to establish hunting
license application and issuance procedures and fees through
administrative rules.

     The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR),
testified in support of this bill with an amendment to provide
just a single resident license. 

     Testimony in opposition to the bill was received from the
Hawaii Hunting Association, the Hawaii Hunting Advisory Council,
the Conservation Association of Hawaii, and one private citizen.

     Your Committee finds that hunters support the Hunting and
Recreation Program by paying state license fees and federal
excise taxes on arms and ammunition.  Hawaii has traditionally
supported its public hunting program with general funds.
Increasing resident license fees is a way to maintain services
and have the user group that is benefiting from the Program pay a
bit more of the cost.  Increasing nonresident license fees will
also help generate revenue that can enable DLNR to dedicate

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 286-00
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personnel and efforts to develop and promote hunting on private
lands.  This bill also establishes different categories of
licenses, a game mammal, game bird, or combination bird and
mammal license.  The provision to require applicants to disclose
if they are prohibited from using firearms to hunt is a change in
licensing requirements requested by enforcement personnel.

     This bill also amends the statute to allow setting hunting
license fees through administrative rules rather than via
statute.

     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 H.B.
No. 2577 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be
referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   ROMY M. CACHOLA, Chair