STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2394

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 3028

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Water, Land, and Housing and Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 3028 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CONSERVATION AND RESOURCES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Ban the unlicensed destruction or harvesting of native sandalwood trees and establish penalties for violations;

     (2)  Ban the export of raw or unprocessed sandalwood timber; and

     (3)  Establish the Department of Land and Natural Resources' duties regarding protection of sandalwood.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Foundation for Islands of Harmony, and four individuals.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from JAWMIN LLC and two individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Forest Industry Association and one individual.

     Your Committees find that several species of sandalwood are endemic to Hawaii, meaning that they are found nowhere else in the world.  Your Committees consequently find that immediate efforts to protect Hawaii's unique environment are critical in ensuring the continued future of Hawaii's rich biodiversity.  Lastly, your Committees dedicate this measure to Iliahi Elementary School.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by adopting language provided by the Department of Land and Natural Resources that will better enable the protection of other native forest resources that in the future may also be deemed in need of conservation.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water, Land, and Housing and Judiciary and Labor that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3028, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3028, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water, Land, and Housing and Judiciary and Labor,

____________________________ CLAYTON HEE, Chair

____________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair