STAND. COM. REP. NO 601
Honolulu, Hawaii
RE: S.B. No. 1183
S.D. 1
Honorable Donna Mercado Kim
President of the Senate
Twenty-Eighth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2015
State of Hawaii
Madam:
Your Committee on Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 1183 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STATE LAND MAMMAL,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to recognize the importance of the ōpe‘ape‘a to the State of Hawaii and raise awareness of the ōpe‘ape‘a as an endangered species and uniquely Hawaiian land mammal by designating the ōpe‘ape‘a as the official land mammal of the State.
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Humane Society of the United States-Hawaii, The Nature Conservancy, and five individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from Bat Conservation International and one individual.
Your Committee finds that the ōpe‘ape‘a is the only land mammal native to the Hawaiian Islands. The ōpe‘ape‘a is a unique and resilient animal that is well-suited to represent Hawaii. Recognizing the ōpe‘ape‘a, which roosts in trees, will do much to remind us of our reliance upon, and responsibility toward, our environment and natural and cultural resources.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Clarifying that the ōpe‘ape‘a was listed as endangered under the Federal Endangered Species Act and the State of Hawaii's Endangered Species List on October 13, 1970; and
(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1183, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1183, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Government Operations,
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________________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair |
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