HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1122

THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO LAND USE.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  Section 183D-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new definition to be appropriately inserted and to read as follows:

     ""Cooperative resource management" means a process for the management of public resources that identifies and actively involves stakeholders with a compelling interest, such as recreation, hunting, or gathering."

     SECTION 2.  Section 183D-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§183D-2  Powers and duties of department.  The department shall:

     (1)  Manage and administer the wildlife and wildlife resources of the State[;] using cooperative resource management strategies that include traditional, recreational, or culturally dependent resource users and stakeholders;

     (2)  Enforce all laws relating to the protecting, taking, hunting, killing, propagating, or increasing the wildlife within the State and the waters subject to its jurisdiction;

     (3)  Establish and maintain wildlife propagating facility or facilities;

     (4)  Subject to the provisions of title 12, import wildlife for the purpose of propagating and disseminating the same in the State and the waters subject to its jurisdiction;

     (5)  Distribute, free of charge, as the department deems to be in the public interest, game for the purpose of increasing the food supply of the State; provided that when in the discretion of the department the public interest will not be materially interfered with by so doing, the department may propagate and furnish wildlife to private parties, upon [such] reasonable terms, conditions, and prices as the department may determine;

     (6)  Ascertain, compile, and disseminate, free of charge, information and advice as to the best methods of protecting, propagating, and distributing wildlife in the State and the waters subject to its jurisdiction;

     (7)  Gather and compile information and statistics concerning the area, location, character, and increase and decrease of wildlife in the State;

     (8)  Gather and compile information concerning wildlife recommended for release in different localities, including the care and propagation of wildlife for protective, productive, and aesthetic purposes and other useful information, which the department deems proper;

     (9)  Have the power to manage and regulate all lands which may be set apart as game management areas, public hunting areas, and wildlife sanctuaries;

    (10)  Pursuant to section 183D-65 of this chapter, destroy predators deemed harmful to wildlife;

    (11)  Formulate, and from time to time recommend to the governor and legislature, [such] additional legislation necessary or desirable to implement the objectives of title 12; and

    (12)  Preserve, protect, and promote public hunting."

     SECTION 3.  Section 183D-4, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§183D-4  Game management areas, wildlife sanctuaries, public hunting areas.  (a)  For the purposes of preserving, protecting, conserving, and propagating wildlife, the department shall establish, maintain, manage, and operate game management areas, wildlife sanctuaries, and public hunting areas on land under its control and, as it deems desirable, enter into agreements for taking control of privately owned lands for those purposes.

     (b)  The department shall not close an existing game management area, wildlife sanctuary, or public hunting area, or close an existing game management area or public hunting area to hunting for any period of time, unless the department:

     (1)  Includes with its decision a listing of findings based on scientific data that substantiates the decision for the closure; provided that the scientific data shall span a period of not less than one year; and

     (2)  Notifies the game management advisory commission prior to closure.

     [(b)] (c)  For the purposes of this section:

     "Game management area" means an area so designated by either executive order, rule, cooperative agreement, or action of the board of land and natural resources that has been set aside for the primary purpose of managing, sustaining, and enhancing habitat and populations of game mammals [and/or] or game birds, and providing public hunting and, secondarily, other compatible uses.

     "Public hunting area" means those lands designated by the board of land and natural resources as areas where the public may hunt game birds and mammals, including:

     (1)  Game management areas;

     (2)  Forest reserves and surrendered lands;

     (3)  Natural area reserves;

     (4)  Restricted watersheds;

     (5)  Cooperative game management areas;

     (6)  Military training areas;

     (7)  Unencumbered state lands;

     (8)  Designated sanctuaries; and

     (9)  Other lands designated by the board."

     SECTION 4.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.


 


 

Report Title:

DLNR; Cooperative Resource Management; Game Management Areas; Wildlife Sanctuary; Public Hunting Area; Closures

 

Description:

Requires DLNR to administer State wildlife and wildlife resources using cooperative resource management strategies.  Prohibits closures of certain game, sanctuary, and hunting areas unless DLNR makes findings based on scientific data and notifies the Game Management Advisory Commission.  (HB1122 HD1)

 

 

 

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