STAND. COM. REP. NO. 49

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 177

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 177 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AQUACULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Animal Industry Division of the Department of Agriculture to develop and administer an assessment and approval process to import and move aquatic livestock in the State.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Agribusiness Development Corporation, County of Hawaiʻi Department of Research and Development, Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau, Hawaii Aquaculture and Aquaponics Association, Shrimp Improvement Systems Hawaii LLC, and Kowa Premium Foods Hawaii Corporation.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from Animal Rights Hawaiʻi.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from Restore the Commons.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii's aquaculture industry is a leader in the United States and that additional protections are necessary for the responsible and sustainable growth of this industry. Because disease can devastate aquaculture industries, the biological aquatic risk-based framework developed by this measure will minimize the potential negative impact to native species and ecosystems associated with the movement of aquatic livestock while balancing industry growth.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting a blank appropriation amount;

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee notes that this measure, as amended, contains an unspecified appropriation amount. Should your Committee on Ways and Means choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider inserting an appropriation amount of $1,000,000 for the Animal Industry Division of the Department of Agriculture to develop the biological aquatic risk-based framework.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 177, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 177, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture and Environment,

________________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair