STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3254

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1899

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred H.B. No. 1899 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to designate certain snail species as official state snails.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species; Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAuamo; Natural Conservancy, Hawaiʻi and Palmyra; and thirty-seven individuals.

Your Committees find that many Hawaiian snail species are so unique that the genealogical family is entirely composed of species found only from Hawaii, but many have either gone extinct or are critically endangered. Your Committees further find that in 2023, the Bishop Museum organized a statewide snail voting campaign to give voice to the community in deciding which snail species to recommend to the Legislature to be designated as the official state snail for each island. Your Committees believe that designating snails as the official state snails will bring awareness to both the importance of these terrestrial snails and the urgent need to save the remaining snails.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Agriculture and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1899, and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Agriculture and Environment,

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair

________________________________ CHRIS LEE, Chair