STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2698

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2026

       S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2026, 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 the Hawaii apprentice hunting program to provide opportunities for young persons between the ages of ten and seventeen to engage in and learn about hunting under the supervision of sponsoring adult mentors who are licensed hunters.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the County of Hawaii Game Management Advisory Commission, Hawaii Hunting Association, and two individuals.

     Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

     Your Committee finds that hunting is an important form of recreation that contributes to wildlife management strategies.  Your Committee further finds that offering aspiring young hunters positive mentorship and formal hunter education will promote safe, legal, and ethical hunting practices and enhance the sport for the entire hunting community.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that a licensed hunter who accompanies an apprentice hunter while engaged in hunting shall remain close enough to the apprentice to permit uninterrupted visual contact and unaided verbal communication;

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

     (3)  Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity and consistency.

     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 S.B. No. 2026, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2026, S.D. 2.

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

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JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair