STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2399

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 3001

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 3001 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WILDLIFE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to prohibit the interisland transportation of live game or wild mammals.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, the Nature Conservancy, and one private individual.

     Your Committee finds that the introduction of non-native species to the State has a negative effect on Hawaii's environment and indigenous species in a variety of ways, including the direct predation on indigenous species; the spread of pathogens and diseases; competition with native species for limited food resources; the destruction of native vegetation and habitats; and erosion.  For example, Axis Deer are causing great damage to native habitats and agricultural crops on Maui and are a danger to vehicular traffic on roadways.  While many introductions of non-native species are accidental, others may be purposeful.  This measure provides a deterrent to the purposeful spread of animals within the State and establishes penalties for the interisland transportation of live game or wild mammals.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Adopting the amendments suggested by the Department of Land and Natural Resources that:

          (A)  Replace references to "live game mammals or wild mammals" with "wild or feral mammals" to more precisely and appropriately specify the animal's targeted by this measure;

          (B)  Clarify that the prohibition of interisland transportation of wild or feral mammals includes the intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly transferring, transporting, or releasing after transporting through interisland movement; and

          (C)  Define release as the freeing of an animal from effective confinement or restraint; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3001, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3001, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair