STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1038-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 3251

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 3251, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require that hunting guides:

(1) Obtain written permission from private landowners or appropriate persons before taking their clients to hunt on private lands; and

(2) Submit a copy of the written permission documents to the Department of Land and Natural Resources as part of their annual reports.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Maui Chamber of Commerce; and two individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that guided hunting tours help manage game populations, provide a living wage for hunting guides, and help drive the State's economy. However, instances of hunting tours traversing private land without permission have led to concerning and potentially dangerous scenarios. This measure seeks to prevent the occurrence of these perilous situations.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring all hunters to obtain written permission from private landowners or other appropriate persons before hunting on private lands;

(2) Requiring hunting guides to file the written permission with the Department of Land and Natural Resources' Division of Forestry and Wildlife, as part of the hunting guide licensing process;

(3) Requiring hunters, including hunting guides, to carry a copy of the written permission with them when hunting on private lands; and

(4) 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 Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3251, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3251, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Agriculture.

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

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair