CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 163-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 2401

S.D. 2

H.D. 2

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2401, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FERAL CHICKENS,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Appropriate funds to each county as a grant—in—aid, subject to a county match, for the implementation of feral chicken control programs; and

(2) Appropriate funds to the Department of Health for a feeding of feral animals education campaign.

Your Committee on Conference finds that feral chickens and roosters are a persistent nuisance, particularly in suburban and urban residential communities. Feral chickens damage gardens and food crops, harm native plants and resources, crow at all times of day and night, and leave unsanitary droppings. This measure will protect the State's ecosystem and natural resources and the health and safety of its residents by requiring the Department of Agriculture to work with each county to implement feral chicken control programs and feeding of feral animals education campaigns.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have made an unspecified appropriation as a grant-in-aid, subject to a county match, to each county for the implementation of feral chicken control programs;

(2) Deleting language that would have made an unspecified appropriation to the Department of Health for a feeding of feral animals education campaign;

(3) Inserting language requiring the Department of Agriculture to work with each county to implement feral chicken control programs and feeding of feral animals education campaign in each county;

(4) Inserting language requiring each county to match the funds expended by the Department of Agriculture for the implementation of the feral chicken control program and feeding of feral animals education campaign in that county;

(5) Amending section 1 to reflect its amended purpose;

(6) Making it effective on July 1, 2024; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2401, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2401, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ CEDRIC ASUEGA GATES Co-Chair	____________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA Chair
____________________________ KIRSTIN KAHALOA Co-Chair	____________________________ MIKE GABBARD Co-Chair
	____________________________ DONNA MERCADO KIM Co-Chair