STAND. COM. REP. NO. 733-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 1899

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1899 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STATE SNAILS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to designate various snail species as official state snails based on the results of the Bishop Museum community outreach and voting process.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii's terrestrial snail fauna hold ecological significance to the State's native ecosystems due to their role as decomposers and as a food source of other native species. Your Committee further finds that many snail species are unique and found only in Hawaii. Unfortunately, it is estimated that over half of the seven hundred fifty terrestrial Hawaiian snail species have gone extinct. This measure is intended to bring more awareness of the importance of Hawaii's terrestrial snails and the urgent need to save the State's remaining snail species from extinction.

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. 1899 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair