STAND. COM. REP. NO. 273
Honolulu, Hawaii
President of the Senate
Thirty-First State Legislature
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 573 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WILDLIFE,"
beg leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to require all habitat conservation plans to include an agreement for plan participants to enter into and maintain an annual service contract with a stand-by and response facility available to provide emergency medical and rehabilitation services to native wildlife affected by activities undertaken within the plan area.
Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, one member of the Hawai‘i County Council, Hawai‘i Wildlife Center, and six individuals.
Your Committees acknowledge that Hawaii's unique ecosystem is under constant threat by natural and manmade causes and that habitat conservation plans are one means of mitigating against this threat. Your Committees find that the annual service contract requirement proposed by this measure could help to fulfill the requirement under existing law that each habitat conservation plan identify the steps that will be taken to minimize the impact of any incidental take to the maximum extent practicable.
As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 573 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs,
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________________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair |
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________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair |
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