STAND. COM. REP. NO.121

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 535

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 535 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE CONTROL OF AXIS DEER IN MAUI COUNTY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide funding to the Department of Land and Natural Resources for the creation of a master plan to control the Axis Deer in Maui.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Maui County Farm Bureau, Hawaii Farm Bureau, the Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, and a concerned citizen. Testimony in support of the intent of the measure was submitted by the Board of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee finds that Axis Deer have become a nuisance to farmers on Maui, and that the expanding population's potential impact on watersheds is a concern. The deer currently cost the agricultural community thousands of dollars worth of agricultural products and supplies, and destroy native plants, endangered species, and water quality.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 535 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture,

____________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair