STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1269

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 1325

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 1325, H.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Department or Board of Land and Natural Resources to:

 

     (1)  Give prior notice to the Game Management Advisory Commission when establishing or amending watershed areas, projects, or management plans on state lands;

 

     (2)  Provide watershed management plans to the Game Management Advisory Commission prior to the Board's issuance or renewal of a water rights lease; and

 

     (3)  Suspend all aerial shooting activity if the Board has not adopted rules incorporating recommendations by the Commission.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Firearms Coalition and seven individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, The Nature Conservancy Hawaii, Hawaii Hunting Association, and one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Sportsmen's Alliance.

 

     Your Committee finds that the stakeholders who are most affected by decisions made by the Department of Land and Natural Resources and its partners regarding wildlife and wildlife resources should be given proper notice and opportunities to express their concerns over practices that modify access, utilization, or management of these resources.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting language that would have required the Department of Land and Natural Resources to give prior notice to the Game Management Advisory Commission before establishing a new watershed project or management plan on state lands or amending any existing watershed project or management plan for state lands;

 

     (2)  Inserting language that requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to work collaboratively with the Game Management Advisory Commission to develop and implement sustainable game management practices and plans in areas assigned and associated with watershed protection in accordance with the powers and duties of the Department under section 183D-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

 

     (3)  Deleting language that would have suspended all aerial shooting activity if the Board of Land and Natural Resources has not adopted rules incorporating recommendations by the Commission; and

 

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1325, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1325, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair