STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2774

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2156

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2156 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WILDLIFE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the Department of Land and Natural Resources to become a member of the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, or a similar agreement.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from Humane Society of the United States and four individuals.

     Your Committee received comments on this measure from Department of Land and Natural Resources.

     Your Committee finds that forty-seven states are members of the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact.  Your Committee further finds that membership in the compact will help the State prevent individuals who have committed illegal acts relating to wildlife in other states from coming to Hawaii and engaging in similar conduct.

     Your Committee notes that the Department of Land and Natural Resources has requested additional funding to meet the costs of fulfilling its duties under the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact.  Your Committee has requested the department to provide an estimate of these costs.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Adding a section that appropriates an unspecified sum to be expended by the Department of Land and Natural Resources to implement the duties required under the measure; and

(2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2156, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2156, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair