STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1033-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 573

S.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 573, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WILDLIFE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose 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 Committee 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, Center for Biological Diversity, Save Our Shearwaters, and thirteen individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that providing emergency medical and rehabilitative services to native wildlife that have been affected by activities within a habitat conservation plan area is critical to protecting the State's native and endangered wildlife.

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. 573, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

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

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair