Report Title:

Game Management; Fences

Description:

Requires public and private game management areas to be fenced.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1831
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO GAME MANAGEMENT AREAS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that introduced game mammals are a significant threat to native species and ecosystems, watersheds, public and private property, and human health and safety.

     The purpose of this Act is to protect public and private land and resources from game mammals by requiring areas maintained for commercial, public, or private hunting to be fenced.

     SECTION 2.  Section 183D-4, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§183D-4  Game management areas, wildlife sanctuaries, public hunting areas.  (a)  For the purposes of preserving, protecting, conserving, and propagating wildlife, the department shall establish, maintain, manage, and operate game management areas, wildlife sanctuaries, and public hunting areas on land under its control and, as it deems desirable, enter into agreements for taking control of privately owned lands for those purposes.

(b)  All game management areas shall be effectively fenced to prevent game mammals from encroaching on public and private lands outside the game management areas.

     [(b)] (c)  For the purposes of this section:

     "Game management area" means [an]:

(1) An area so designated by either executive order, rule, cooperative agreement, or action of the board of land and natural resources that has been set aside for the primary purpose of managing, sustaining, and enhancing habitat and populations of game mammals [and/or], game birds, or both, and providing public hunting and, secondarily, other compatible uses[.]; or

(2) Any area where any individual, corporation, or government agency manages game mammals with food, water, or shelter, or otherwise maintains game mammals for commercial, public, or private hunting, or any other purpose.

     "Public hunting area" means those lands designated by the board of land and natural resources as areas where the public may hunt game birds and mammals, including:

     (1)  Game management areas;

     (2)  Forest reserves and surrendered lands;

     (3)  Natural area reserves;

     (4)  Restricted watersheds;

     (5)  Cooperative game management areas;

     (6)  Military training areas;

     (7)  Unencumbered state lands;

     (8)  Designated sanctuaries; and

     (9)  Other lands designated by the board."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2007.

INTRODUCED BY:

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