STAND. COM. REP. NO.  159

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 799

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 799 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE UNIFORM AERONAUTICS ACT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to amend the Uniform Aeronautics Act to allow for the State, its employees, or its independent contractors, to remove birds or animals by aerial means in furtherance of State duties.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources; The Nature Conservancy; the Maui Invasive Species Committee; Oahu Invasive Species Committee; The Friends of Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge; and several individuals testified in support of this measure.  The County of Hawaii, Office of the Mayor; Hawaii Hunting Association; Keaukaha Community Association; Babooze Bowstrings; Ahiu Hawaii; Hawaii Sportsmen's Alliance; Pig Hunters Association of Oahu; the Society for Hawaii Heritage Animals; Big Island Fisheries Alliance; Hawaii Near Shore Fishermen; and numerous individuals testified in opposition to this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by clarifying that the actions of the State, its employees, or its independent contractors in removing wildlife shall be limited to remote and inaccessible areas where access to wildlife may pose hazard to human life.

     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. 799, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 799, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

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

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair