STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1372

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 849

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 Water & Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 849, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WILDLIFE CONSERVATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Prohibit and impose penalties on the intentional taking, harming, or killing of ‘io; and

(2) Increase the penalties and fees for taking and killing indigenous species of aquatic life, wildlife, and land plants that are native to the State.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Hawai‘i Reef and Ocean Coalition; and three individuals.

Your Committee finds that many of the State's native species face significant threats from overexploitation, habitat destruction, and climate change. Your Committee further finds that the ‘io, or Hawaiian hawk, plays an important role in maintaining ecological balance by controlling populations of rodents and other invasive species that threaten native flora and fauna. Although the ‘io was removed from the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 on February 3, 2020, it still faces ongoing threats from habitat loss, illegal hunting, and environmental degradation. While ʻio are currently listed as endangered birds under Hawaii Administrative Rules, your Committee believes that prohibiting the unauthorized taking and killing of Hawaii's indigenous species will deter the intentional taking of ʻio in the event the Department of Land and Natural Resources delists ʻio in the future.

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 Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 849, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 849, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair