STAND. COM. REP. NO.  703

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   H.B. No. 366

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 366, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MANTA RAYS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to provide protections for manta rays by establishing fines and penalties for knowingly killing or capturing manta rays within state waters.

     The Humane Society of the United States in Hawaii, Hawaii Audubon Society, Conservation Council for Hawaii, Manta Science Advisory Board, Maldivian Manta Ray Project, Hawaii Association for Marine Education and Research , Inc., Manta Pacific Research Foundation, Ocean Tourism Coalition, Friends of Pebble Beach, and numerous concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The Office of Hawaiian Affairs supported this measure with amendments.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources and a concerned individual provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by inserting a provision that makes an exception for activities granted a special permit for scientific, education, management, or propagation purposes.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 366, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 366, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

____________________________

JON RIKI KARAMATSU, Chair