STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1180

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2019

 

RE:   H.B. No. 808

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 808, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SHARK AND RAY PROTECTION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to maintain viable populations of sharks and rays by:

 

     (1)  Prohibiting, subject to certain limited exceptions, the capture, taking, possession, abuse, entanglement, or killing of any shark within state marine waters and establishing criminal penalties and administrative fines; and

 

     (2)  Expanding the protection against capturing or killing a manta ray to include capturing, killing, taking, possessing, abusing, or entangling any ray in state marine waters, subject to certain limited exceptions.

 

     The Office of Hawaiian Affairs; The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii; One Ocean Conservation; The Pet Hale; Water Inspired Conservation Group; For the Fishes; West Hawaii Humane Society; Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; One One Five, Ltd.; and numerous individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Center for Hawaiian Sovereignty Studies and several individuals testified in opposition to this measure.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources and an individual provided comments.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 808, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair