HB2880.DOC

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the hunting industry is a key component of the Lanai economy, as evidenced by the more than twenty-seven hundred applications for permits to hunt on Lanai received by the department of land and natural resources' Maui office in December, 2011. Non-resident hunters contribute to Lanai's economy by spending money on local businesses, including airlines, ferries, hotels, bed and breakfasts, restaurants, golf courses, and other retail establishments. It is estimated that the hunting industry generates more than $1,500,000 in annual spending for Lanai.

The legislature further finds that residents of Lanai favor expanding the local hunting economy. A large game management area on the island of Lanai is operated by the department of land and natural resources, pursuant to a month-to-month lease with Castle and Cooke, Incorporated. However, the tenuous nature of the month-to-month lease is hurting the local economy by chilling investment in the area, causing the residents of Lanai to suffer. The residents believe that the game management area is intended to be used as the site of a large number of wind turbines that will take at least ten years to build and operate. In the meantime, the land could be put to more immediate and economically beneficial use by securing a long term lease for the game management area.

The purpose of this Act is to promote long term leases for game management areas and to establish a task force to create a plan to promote a viable hunting industry on Lanai.

SECTION 2. Chapter 183D, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§183D- Game management areas; leases. The department of land and natural resources shall not enter into a lease to establish, maintain, manage, or operate any game management area on an island with a population less than five thousand persons that is for a period of less than ten years."

SECTION 3. (a) The department of land and natural resources shall make best efforts to convert the month-to-month lease of the Lanai game management area to a lease with a minimum term of ten years.

(b) The department of land and natural resources shall establish a Lanai hunting task force to be placed within the department of land and natural resources for administrative purposes. The chairperson of the board of land and natural resources shall appoint a member of the task force to serve as chairperson.

(c) The chairperson of the board of land and natural resources shall invite the following stakeholders to participate as members:

(1) Two members representing the Lana'i Hunting Association, one member each to be appointed by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives, respectively;

(2) Two members representing Lanaians for Sensible Growth, one member each to be appointed by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives, respectively;

(3) One member representing Castle and Cooke, Incorporated;

(4) One member representing the Maui Visitors Bureau;

(5) Two members representing the Lanai business community, one member each to be appointed by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives, respectively;

(6) One member representing the Maui department of economic development;

(7) One member who operates a legal bed and breakfast business on Lanai, to be appointed by the mayor of Maui county; and

(8) One member representing the department of land and natural resources.

(d) The members of the task force shall not receive compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses, including travel expenses, incurred during the performance of their duties under this Act.

(e) The task force shall meet on the island of Lanai to create a plan to encourage and promote the responsible growth of the hunting industry on the island of Lanai.

(f) The task force shall submit a final report of its finding, recommendations, and any proposed legislation to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2013.

(g) The task force shall cease to exist on June 30, 2013.

SECTION 4. This Act shall not be applied so as to impair any contract existing as of the effective date of this Act in a manner violative of either the state constitution or article I, section 10, of the United States Constitution.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2880
TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2012
STATE OF HAWAII