STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1388-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 3251

S.D. 1

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 Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 3251, S.D. 1, H.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:

(1) Hunters, including hunting guides, to obtain written permission from private landowners or other appropriate persons before hunting on private lands;

(2) 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; and

(3) Hunters, including hunting guides, to carry a copy of the written permission with them when hunting on private lands.

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 one individual.

Your Committee finds that as the popularity of guided hunting tours has increased, some hunting guides have guided clients on hunts on private lands without the written permission of the private landowners. While existing law requires hunters and hunting guides to obtain permission to hunt on private land, requiring written permission from the landowner to be filed with the Department of Land and Natural Resources and carried on a hunting guide's person while guiding clients may make it easier to verify whether permission was obtained.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting the requirement for all hunters other than hunting guides to carry a copy of the written permission with them when hunting on private lands; 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 Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3251, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3251, S.D. 1, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair