STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2013-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 3179

S.D. 2

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 3179, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for:

(1) The Department of Land and Natural Resources' Division of Forestry and Wildlife to assist with feral axis deer herd population management on the islands of Maui, Molokai, and Lanai;

(2) Three full-time equivalent (3.0 FTE) technician positions to assist in managing new and existing hunting areas, assist with injured deer, distribute traps to control nuisance deer, and work with ranchers to establish hunting programs or control work on ranchlands; and

(3) The purchase of certain equipment to assist the technicians in carrying out their duties.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, The Nature Conservancy, Maui Chamber of Commerce, and five individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Molokai Hunting Club and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Budget and Finance, The Molokai Bowhunters Club, Kualapu‘u Ranch, Farm Bureau - Molokai Chapter, and five individuals.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the Department of Land and Natural Resources' Division of Forestry and Wildlife to adopt rules and issue funds to licensed hunters at a per unit rate for feral axis deer herd management; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3179, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3179, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair