STAND. COM. REP. NO. 450

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 1389

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1389 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the City and County of Honolulu for the expansion of the feral chicken program and the Vector Control Branch of the Department of Health for a statewide education campaign for the feeding of feral animals.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; Department of Land and Natural Resources; Department of Customer Services, City and County of Honolulu; and Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from three individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee finds that feral animals threaten local ecosystems and can transmit diseases that affect humans and native species. Your Committee further finds that feeding feral animals increases feral populations, often to the detriment of the welfare of the feral animals, environment, and human health. Your Committee believes that providing financial support to expand county feral animal programs and educating residents and visitors on the harmful effects of feeding feral animals is vital to protect the health and safety of Hawaii's environment and its people.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

Your Committee respectfully requests the Department of Health to provide an estimate of program costs necessary for this measure to your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1389, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1389, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair