STAND. COM. REP. NO. 445-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2191

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems, to which was referred H.B. No. 2191 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FERAL ANIMALS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to:

(1) The City and County of Honolulu, as a grant-in-aid, for the expansion of the Feral Chicken Program; and

(2) The Vector Control Branch of the Department of Health for a statewide education campaign on the feeding of feral animals.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Department of Health; City and County of Honolulu; Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaiian Humane Society.

Your Committee finds that feral chickens have become a nuisance in the State, especially in suburban and urban communities. To protect Hawaii's ecosystem, natural resources, and the health and safety of its residents, it is critical that the State work together with local governments to identify and implement collaborative solutions to control the significant increase in the population of feral chickens and roosters. Additionally, informing the public about the consequences of feeding feral animals will help to mitigate the impacts of feral animals on native habitats and ecosystems and reduce their disturbance to indigenous species of wildlife, agriculture, and communities.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriations to unspecified amounts;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider expanding support of feral chicken programs in Maui County and Hawaii County and increasing the appropriation amount to $150,000 for the expansion of the feral chicken program.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2191, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2191, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems,

____________________________

CEDRIC ASUEGA GATES, Chair