STAND. COM. REP. NO. 631-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 1922

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1922, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WILDLIFE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Expand the Department of Land and Natural Resources' rulemaking authority to include any rule imposing restrictions or requirements deemed necessary to protect wildlife; and

(2) Expand the Board of Land and Natural Resources' authority to timely adopt, amend, or repeal certain natural resource rules by formal action at a publicly noticed meeting if the Board finds that it is necessary to implement effective and adaptive management measures in response to impacted natural resources or in light of newly available technology or data.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources and one individual.

Your Committee finds that there may be situations where impacts to natural resources or newly available technology or data necessitate changes to the Department of Land and Natural Resources' rules regarding bag limits, size limits, open or closed hunting seasons, or gear restrictions. This measure will provide the Department of Land and Natural Resources with greater flexibility to respond to these situations and impose other restrictions or requirements it deems necessary.

Your Committee has amended this measure by 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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1922, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1922, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair