STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2883

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 799

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 799, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to amend the Uniform Aeronautics Act to clarify the authority of the State, its employees, and its independent contractors to kill or attempt to kill wildlife by aerial means in furtherance of official state duties.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Transportation, Big Island Invasive Species Committee, O‘ahu Invasive Species Committee, Conservation Council for Hawai‘i, and The Nature Conservancy.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the County of Hawaii Game and Management Advisory Commission, Club Hui Kuahiwi, Pig Hunters Association of Oahu, Hunting Farming and Fishing Association, Hawaii Sportsmen's Alliance, Hawaii Hunting Association, The Society of Hawaii Heritage Animals, Animal Rights Hawai‘i, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, and forty-two individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Humane Society of the United States.

     Your Committee finds that the Department of Land and Natural Resources is dependent upon the availability of effective tools to accomplish its wildlife management duties.  Aerial shooting is one tool that can be highly effective for wildlife management in rugged terrain areas.  Your Committee further finds that the Department of Land and Natural Resources has a long-standing aerial shooting policy that addresses a number of citizen concerns, including a policy of providing public notice at least fifteen days in advance.  Given the challenges that the State faces in mitigating invasive species, your Committee finds it is important to give the Department of Land and Natural Resources the tools it needs to be effective in that regard.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to take effect upon its approval.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 799, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 799, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture,

________________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair