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 ōpeapea to the State of Hawaii and raise awareness of the ōpeapea as an endangered species and uniquely Hawaiian land mammal by designating the ōpeapea 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 ōpeapea is the only land mammal native to the Hawaiian Islands.  The ōpeapea is a unique and resilient animal that is well-suited to represent Hawaii.  Recognizing the ōpeapea, 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 ōpeapea 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,

 

 

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair