SR 133: requesting the Department of agriculture to adopt rules authorizing rodeos on lands zoned for agricultural use.

SENATE RESOLUTION

requesting the Department of agriculture to adopt rules authorizing rodeos on lands zoned for agricultural use.

     WHEREAS, the State possesses a rich ranching history and cowboy culture preceding that of the American West; and

     WHEREAS, in 1793, Captain James Vancouver presented Kamehameha I with six cows and a bull on which Kamehameha I imposed a kapu to prevent the cattle from being hunted or killed; and

     WHEREAS, over time, the herd flourished and turned feral, becoming a nuisance and danger to Native Hawaiians as the herd would rampage through villages and destroy crops, eat thatch off the roofs of houses, and occasionally hurt or kill people; and

     WHEREAS, in 1832, Kamehameha III sent one of his chiefs to Alta California to enlist cowboys who could teach his people how to work cattle; and

     WHEREAS, the chief returned with three vaqueros who taught aspiring Native Hawaiian cowboys to rope, slaughter, and breed cattle; cure hides; construct fences and paddocks; and ride horses; and

     WHEREAS, Native Hawaiians took quickly to the skills and techniques that the vaqueros introduced, iterated on these skills and techniques, and developed a distinct Hawaiian cowboy culture; and

     WHEREAS, Hawaiian cowboys, known as paniolo, crafted their saddles and gear in a style unique to them, created their own genre of music accompanied by the guitar and ukulele, and also developed a singular Hawaiian style of open-tuning for the guitar called kihoalu, or slack key; and

     WHEREAS, in 1908, three paniolo, Ikua Purdy, Archi Kaaua, and Jack Low, traveled to Cheyenne, Wyoming, to compete in the biggest rodeo at the time:  Frontier Days; and

     WHEREAS, the three paniolo emerged victorious over many of America's best cowboys, shocking the American public; and

     WHEREAS, when the three paniolo returned to Hawaii, they were hailed as heroes with poetry and hula being composed in their honor; and

     WHEREAS, authorizing rodeos on lands zoned for agricultural use would honor the State's rich ranching history and paniolo culture; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that the Department of Agriculture is requested to adopt rules authorizing rodeos on lands zoned for agricultural use; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture.

Report Title: 

DOA; Land Use; Rules; Rodeos

SENATE RESOLUTION

requesting the Department of agriculture to adopt rules authorizing rodeos on lands zoned for agricultural use.

     WHEREAS, the State possesses a rich ranching history and cowboy culture preceding that of the American West; and

     WHEREAS, in 1793, Captain James Vancouver presented Kamehameha I with six cows and a bull on which he imposed a kapu to prevent the cattle from being hunted or killed; and

     WHEREAS, over time, the herd flourished and turned feral, becoming a nuisance and danger to Native Hawaiians as the herd would rampage through villages and destroy crops, eat the thatch off the roofs of houses, and occasionally hurt or kill people; and

     WHEREAS, in 1832, Kamehameha III sent one of his chiefs to Alta California to enlist cowboys who could teach his people how to work cattle; and

     WHEREAS, the chief returned with three vaqueros who taught aspiring Native Hawaiian cowboys to rope, slaughter, and breed cattle; cure hides; construct fences and paddocks; and ride horses; and

     WHEREAS, Native Hawaiians took quickly to the skills and techniques that the vaqueros introduced, iterated on these skills and techniques, and developed a distinct Hawaiian cowboy culture; and

     WHEREAS, Hawaiian cowboys, known as paniolo, crafted their saddles and gear in a style unique to them, created their own genre of music accompanied by the guitar and ukulele, and also developed a singular Hawaiian style of open-tuning for the guitar called kihoalu, or slack key; and

     WHEREAS, in 1908, three paniolo, Ikua Purdy, Archi Kaaua, and Jack Low traveled to Cheyenne, Wyoming, to compete in the biggest rodeo at the time, Frontier Days; and

     WHEREAS, the three paniolo emerged victorious over many of America's best cowboys, shocking the American public; and

     WHEREAS, when the three paniolo returned to Hawaii, they were hailed as heroes with poetry and hula being composed in their honor; and

     WHEREAS, authorizing rodeos on lands zoned for agricultural use would honor the State's rich ranching history and paniolo culture; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that the Department of Land and Natural Resources is requested to adopt rules authorizing rodeos on lands zoned for agricultural use; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture.

Report Title: 

DOA; Land Use; Rodeos

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1389

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.R. No. 133

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.R. No. 133 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO ADOPT RULES AUTHORIZING RODEOS ON LANDS ZONED FOR AGRICULTURAL USE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Agriculture to adopt rules authorizing rodeos on lands zoned for agricultural use.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; Kapapala Ranch; Ponoholo Ranch; SC Ranch Company, Inc.; Miss Rodeo Hawaii Program; Kealia Ranch; and seven individuals.

     Your Committee finds that the State has a rich ranching history and paniolo culture.  According to testimony received by your Committee, rodeos serve all ages and teach the participants responsibility and love of the land, while providing the community with a way to connect more closely to the hard work that goes into producing the food on their plate.  Your Committee notes that rodeos often serve as fundraising events for the livestock community as well.  Your Committee therefore believes that hosting rodeos are an appropriate use of agricultural lands.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by 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 Agriculture and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 133, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 133, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture and Environment,