STAND. COM. REP. NO. 630

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 876

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education & Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 876, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NATIVE POLLINATORS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the University of Hawaii to develop native pollinator habitats to be deployed on all campuses in the University system.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from four individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the University of Hawai‘i System.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii's native pollinators are facing the threat of extinction. Decreasing populations of native pollinators have cascading impacts on Hawaii's environment and biological diversity, endangering native plants and ecosystems that are already vulnerable. Your Committee further finds that the University of Hawaii is well-positioned to research and undertake the creation of these ecosystems on two of its campuses that have different ecosystems and house research faculty expertise in the area.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the University of Hawaii to develop and implement a two-year native pollinator habitat pilot project, rather than establish a permanent program;

(2) Focusing the pilot project on the University of Hawaii at Manoa and University of Hawaii at Hilo campuses, instead of requiring the habitats to be deployed at all University of Hawaii campuses;

(3) Placing the pilot project in the Session Laws of Hawaii rather than codifying it in the Hawaii Revised Statutes;

(4) Providing appropriations in unspecified amounts for one technician position, student help, and supplies to support the pilot project at each campus site; and

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $150,000 per year for each of the two sites.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education & Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 876, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 876, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education & Technology,

____________________________

AMY A. PERRUSO, Chair