STAND. COM. REP. NO. 631

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 964

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 964 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SPECIES CONSERVATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds and appropriate funds for the construction of:

(1) An invertebrate and plant propagation facility and baseyard improvements on Oahu;

(2) A predator proof fence on Oahu; and

(3) A predator proof fence on Maui.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, The Nature Conservancy, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and three individuals.

Your Committees find that Hawaiian tree snails, Kahuli, are treasured for their importance to native Hawaiian culture, their beauty, and their ecological role in sustaining healthy forest ecosystems. On January 1, 2019, another irreplaceable native Hawaiian species was lost when the last known Achatinella apexfulva, named "Lonesome George", perished. However, there are effective tools, including invertebrate captive rearing facilities and predator-proof fencing, to protect these species that are part of Hawaii's natural and cultural legacy. Your Committees further find that there is a crucial need to relocate the existing invertebrate captive rearing facilities from Kawainui, where the facilities are extremely vulnerable to flooding, high wind events, and vandalism, to the Waimano baseyard on Oahu. This measure provides resources to assist in protecting Hawaii's valuable snails.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Water and Land that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 964 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Water and Land,

________________________________ KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair