STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 1915-22
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2022
RE: S.B. No. 2059
S.D. 1
H.D. 2
Honorable Scott K. Saiki
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-First State Legislature
Regular Session of 2022
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2059, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STATE SYMBOLS,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to designate ‘ōhi‘a lehua as the state endemic tree.
Your Committee finds that the ‘ōhi‘a lehua is an endemic plant species in Hawaii with unique cultural, ecological, and economic importance. Your Committee further finds that ‘ōhi‘a lehua are under increasing threat from environmental pressures such as climate change, invasive species, and a fungal pathogen called rapid ‘ōhi‘a death, which has killed over one million ‘ōhi‘a lehua trees on the island of Hawaii alone. Designating ‘ōhi‘a lehua as the official state endemic tree recognizes the importance of the plant species to the State, which will hopefully lead to effective conservation and growth of healthy ‘ōhi‘a lehua forests across the Hawaiian islands.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Deleting language that made the ‘ōhi‘a lehua the state endemic tree effective so long as the Legislature does not otherwise provide; 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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2059, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2059, S.D. 1, H.D. 2.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,
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____________________________ MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair |
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