STAND. COM. REP. NO.  13-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 1907

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 1907 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HUNTING LICENSES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to make available a lifetime hunting license for a discounted fee for qualified disabled veterans with a specified disability rating or who were awarded the Purple Heart.

The Hawaii County Game Management Advisory Commission, Hawaii Hunting Association, Hawaii Rifle Association, National Rifle Association of America, two members of the Hawai‘i County Council, and one individual submitted testimony in support of this measure.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources and State Office of Veterans Services submitted comments.

     Your Committee finds that the question of what type and level of disability should qualify a veteran for the lifetime hunting license established by this measure remains open.  Your Committee respectfully requests that your Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts further investigate this issue if that Committee chooses to consider this measure.  

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1907 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,

____________________________

CINDY EVANS, Chair