STAND. COM. REP. NO. 581-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 1872

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 1872 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SUSTAINABILITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Land and Natural Resources to recognize that:

(1) Game mammals and game birds provide a food source and play a role in native Hawaiian traditional and customary practices;

(2) Striking an appropriate balance between the management of game mammal and game bird populations and sustainability of their natural habitats to reduce negative impacts to important watershed areas is a priority; and

(3) The State's unique relationship with the ocean requires careful consideration and management of land and ocean activities that prioritize the public trust responsibilities of the State.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Office of the Mayor of the County of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Forest Industry Association, Hawaii Sportsmen's Alliance, National Wild Turkey Federation, Hawaii Firearms Coalition, DC Project Hawaii, and numerous individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that this measure supports the State's efforts to achieve an appropriate balance between the management of game populations and the sustainability of their natural habitats to reduce the adverse effects to important watershed areas, while also recognizing Hawaii's public trust responsibilities to its land and ocean.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that game mammals and game birds can provide a sustainable food source that merit high-quality habitats with sufficient food, water, and refuge to support viable populations sufficient for hunting; provided that adverse effects to the environment are sufficiently minimized or offset through native ecosystem protections;

(2) Clarifying that proper management of game populations in appropriate areas minimizes their impacts and provides benefits but that hunting of introduced, non-native game species may not fall within the scope of traditional and customary Native Hawaiian practices as set forth in the Hawaii State Constitution;

(3) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1872, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1872, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair