STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1190-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 2401

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems, to which was referred S.B. No. 2401, S.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to:

(1) Each county as a grant-in-aid for the implementation of feral chicken control programs; and

(2) The Department of Health for a feeding of feral animals education campaign.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; Department of Agriculture; Department of Customer Services of the City and County of Honolulu; Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaiian Humane Society.

Your Committee finds that feral chickens are known to be a nuisance in Hawaii's suburban and residential communities. Your Committee further finds that controlling these feral populations via a feral chicken control program and education campaign would best serve the environment, human health, and these animals.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion, and

(2) 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 Agriculture & Food Systems that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2401, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2401, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems,

____________________________

CEDRIC ASUEGA GATES, Chair