STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2960

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2543

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 2543 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR A SHOOTING RANGE IN WEST HAWAII ON THE ISLAND OF HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to plan, design, and construct a shooting range in West Hawaii on the island of Hawaii.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the County Council of the County of Hawaii, Mayor of the County of Hawaii, Hawaii Rifle Association, and five individuals.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources submitted testimony in support of the intent of this measure.

     Your Committee finds that there are presently no shooting ranges in the area of West Hawaii.  A shooting range would benefit the police, conservation officers, sheriffs, security guards, hunters, and others licensed to carry firearms who presently have no place to practice shooting and sighting in their firearms.  The unauthorized and unsupervised shooting of firearms, and weapons that have not been properly sighted presents a danger to the health and welfare of the public.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2543, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair