STAND. COM. REP. NO. 415

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1488

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 1488 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LIVESTOCK,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require and appropriate funds for the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, in consultation with livestock industry stakeholders, to conduct a study to assess the effects of heat stress on beef cattle during interisland ocean transportation.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; University of Hawai‘i System College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources; Maui County Farm Bureau; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; Animal Welfare Institute; Hawaii Sustainable Beef Enterprises; and seven individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General.

Your Committees find that maintaining an economically viable and animal-safe interisland ocean transportation system is beneficial for meeting food sustainable goals in Hawaii. Ocean transportation is of vital importance to the local cattle industry because beef cattle slaughter facilities are limited statewide and air transportation is not a viable option for livestock shipping. Your Committees further find that there are concerns circulating over the conditions inside the shipping containers that are used to ship beef cattle from one island to another over water. These concerns involve the effects of severe heat stress and the overall well-being of beef cattle during transport. A study on heat conditions in shipping containers has become necessary to ensure that animals being shipped between islands are not being subject to preventable suffering and death resulting from heat stress. This measure will require and appropriate funds for the University of Hawai‘i College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, in consultation with livestock industry stakeholders, to conduct a study to help livestock shippers understand the environmental conditions inside shipping devices during transport and carcass quality after transport. This study will also be useful in allowing for data-driven decision-making for potential future legislation relating to interisland cattle transportation.

Your Committees acknowledge that researchers can receive external grants for funding and may extend the study if needed.

Therefore, your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting the appropriations;

(2) Inserting legislative findings as recommended by the Attorney General to clarify that this measure is a law of statewide concern; and

(3) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1488, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1488, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Higher Education,

________________________________ DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair