STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3119

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3299

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 3299, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SUSTAINABILITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a policy guideline for the Department of Land and Natural Resources to balance hunting with the management of healthy ecosystems.

Specifically, this measure:

(1) Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to recognize that:

(A) Game mammals and game birds provide a sustainable food source; provided that certain negative impacts on the environment are sufficiently minimized or offset;

(B) Proper management of game populations can minimize or reduce negative impacts to agriculture, watersheds, and native habitats; and

(C) The State's unique relationship with the ocean requires careful consideration and management of land and ocean activities that prioritize the public trust responsibilities of the State;

(2) Requires state agencies to update agency rules and policies to integrate local hunting and fishing industries into the agency's food security or sustainability strategies; and

(3) Requires reports to the Legislature.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii County Game Management Advisory Commission, Hawaii Forest Industry Association, Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Hawaii Firearms Coalition, and nine individuals.

Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from one individual.

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

Your Committee finds that it is important to balance the management of game populations with the sustainability of their natural habitats to minimize the potential negative impacts of these populations on critical watersheds.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the Department of Land and Natural Resources recognizes that game mammals and game birds, managed in appropriate areas, can provide sustainable food sources that merit quality habitats having sufficient food, water, and refuge to support viable populations sufficient for hunting; provided that negative impacts to the environmentally are sufficiently minimized or offset through native ecosystem protections; and

(2) Making a technical nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of 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. 3299, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3299, S.D. 2.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair