Relating To Wanton Waste.
This bill amends Chapter 183D of the Hawaii Revised Statutes and introduces fines and penalties for violations of the new provisions regarding wanton waste. Penalties will escalate with repeated offenses, starting with a fine of up to $250 for the first offense, and potentially leading to a $1,000 fine and a mandatory minimum jail sentence for subsequent offenses. The separation of fines per game bird or mammal waste underscores the bill's seriousness in combating wastefulness in hunting practices.
SB1364 aims to establish stricter penalties for wanton waste of game birds and game mammals in Hawaii. The legislation defines 'wanton waste' as the intentional waste or leaving of any portion of game that is suitable for food, which includes abandoning the carcass or detaching edible portions without proper disposal. The bill's primary objective is to encourage responsible hunting practices and ensure that game resources are not wasted by mandating that harvested animals are properly utilized and disposed of.
Discussions around SB1364 may have raised concerns over how strictly these laws would be enforced and how they might affect local hunting traditions. While the overarching theme is conservation and management of wildlife resources, some stakeholders may argue that the penalties could be too harsh or unintentionally impose restrictions on recreational hunting. Overall, the implementation of this bill could lead to debates between conservationists advocating for wildlife sustainability and hunters concerned about regulatory overreach.