STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1084

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 1266

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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1266, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FOOD DONATIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to allow wild game to be donated as food.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one member of the Maui County Council; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; Aina Ho‘okupu o Kilauea; Hawai‘i Farmers Union United; Maui County Farm Bureau; Maui Chamber of Commerce; and six individuals.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii's farmers and ranchers are working to make the State's food supply more self-sustaining, but will not be able to make meaningful progress if their products are consumed or damaged by feral animals. Axis deer, feral pigs, and other invasive species can damage agricultural crops and livestock and Hawaii's native species, ecosystems, and cultural and historic resources. Allowing for the donation of wild game to under-resourced communities provides a means to feed communities high quality sources of protein, while also creating an outlet for the removal of invasive species such as deer, goats, sheep, and pigs.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to upon approval; 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 H.B. No. 1266, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1266, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair