STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1963

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 177

S.D. 1

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 Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 177, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AQUACULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize the Division of Animal Industry of the Department of Agriculture to adopt, amend, and repeal rules to develop an assessment and approval process to import and move aquatic livestock in the State; and

(2) Require and appropriate funds for the Division of Animal Industry to develop that process through a biological aquatic risk-based framework.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Department of Research and Development of the County of Hawai‘i; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Aquaculture and Aquaponics Association.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 177, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair