STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3415

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1902

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1902, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HUNTING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a Hunting Advisory Commission to advise the Board of Land and Natural Resources on proposals to enhance and maintain the quantity and quality of public hunting areas.

     The measure also:

     (1)  Establishes a hunting pilot program for the implementation of a game management plan or hunting plan on the island of Hawaii; and

     (2)  Appropriates $110,000 for the administrative expenses of the Hunting Advisory Commission, subject to matching funds provided by the County of Hawaii.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the County of Hawaii Office of the Mayor, the Hawaii Rifle Association, the Hawaii Sportsmen Alliance, JK Taxidermy, the Hawaii Hunting Association, the Hawaii County Game Management Advisory Commission, the National Wild Turkey Federation, the National Rifle Association, and forty-eight individuals.  Written comments in opposition were received from the Kauai Watershed Alliance, the Big Island Invasive Species Committee, and seven individuals.  The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, The Nature Conservancy, and five individuals submitted written comments.

     Your Committee finds that the enhancement and maintenance of sustainable public hunting opportunities are of critical importance to the State and its people.  Your Committee believes that this measure will facilitate a coordinated resource management effort to preserve, protect, and promote public hunting.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Eliminating the tourism industry representative from membership on the Hunting Advisory Commission, thereby reducing the composition of the Commission from twelve to eleven members;

     (2)  Specifying that of the two Commission members from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, one member shall have experience in access or acquisition;

     (3)  Specifying that of the five Commission members from the hunting community, not less than one member shall possess experience in game bird hunting and not less than one member shall possess experience in game mammal hunting;

     (4)  Providing that any action taken by the Commission shall be by a simple majority of its members and that seven members shall constitute a quorum;

     (5)  Providing that the Commission shall be subject to sections 26-34 (selection and terms of government board and commission members), 26-35 (administrative supervision of boards and commissions), 26-35.5 (immunity or indemnification for civil liability), and 26-36 (acting members of boards), Hawaii Revised Statutes;

     (6)  Authorizing the Commission to adopt rules to carry out its duties;

     (7)  Providing that the Commission shall advise the Department of Land and Natural Resources on the implementation of the hunting pilot program;

     (8)  Changing the appropriation from $110,000 to an unspecified amount;

     (9)  Changing the effective date from July 1, 2014, to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

     (10) Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

     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 H.B. No. 1902, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1902, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair