STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2591

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 3001

       S.D. 2

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 3001, S.D. 1, 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 transfer, transport, or release after transport of wild or feral mammals and to establish mandatory fines for violations.

     Written comments in support of this measure were submitted by The Nature Conservancy and one individual.

     Your Committee finds that invasive animals, insects, and other pests pose some of the greatest threats to Hawaii’s economy and ecosystem.

     Your Committee also finds that preventing new pest establishment is more economical and efficient than eradicating a pest or, even worse, controlling it indefinitely once it becomes established.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of style and clarity.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3001, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3001, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair