STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1331

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1266

H.D. 2

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 Health and Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 1266, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

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

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Maui County Farm Bureau; Maui Chamber of Commerce; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc; Hawai‘i Forest Industry Association; Hawai‘i Farmers Union United; and four individuals. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Health. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committees find that across Hawaii, various invasive species are creating havoc in agriculture as well as the ecosystems in which they exist. Maui County's axis deer crisis is one example of an invasive species with populations exploding due to abundant forage following rainfall events. Axis deer continue to destroy crops and pasture lands by devouring vegetation and eating almost any crop they come across. Feral pigs can damage pasture grasses, killing desired plant species and often encouraging the growth of undesired weed species. Feral pigs also devastate orchards by consuming fruit, citrus, and nuts, and their rooting can severely damage, or even kill saplings, shrubs, and vines directly or by facilitating the spread of soil-based fungal diseases. Your Committees additionally recognize that feral animals inhibit farmer and rancher operations by causing damage to infrastructure and consuming crops and, as Hawaii feral animal populations continue to expand, these damages, costs, and risks will only continue to rise. Therefore, this measure allows for the donation of wild game to under-resourced communities to incentivize the reduction of feral animals in Hawaii by way of wild game hunting.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1266, H.D. 2, and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Health and Human Services,

________________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair