Senate Standing Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs

Thank you for your patience. We're convening the Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs for decision-making on two measures on this Tuesday—we're in the 3:02 agenda. We have two measures on this agenda: HB 1736, HD 2, relating to animal control.

Members, I have conferred with Co-Chair, Senator Gabbard, and we wanna make a number of amendments to this spay and neuter bill. First, we will amend the measure to allow sterilized cats to be returned to the original colony or territory that's part of our Trap, Neuter, Return Program and to allow funds from the Special Fund to be distributed to nonprofit organizations and other qualified entities that could conduct these programs.

We will also further clarify that monies from the Special Fund may be used to support spay and neuter services, including trap, neuter, return programs. We will also amend Section 2 of the measure to reduce the penalties to a minimum of $50 and a maximum of $100 to better align with the intent of the measure. We will also amend the measure by deleting the provision that limits the duration and requirements of veterinarian certification for cats that are not suitable for sterilization.

And finally, we'll make technical, non-substantive amendments. One thing that during the hearing we heard was about including dogs in this bill and was found that we probably want to keep the dogs out of this bill. So, this will be focused purely on the cat population. So, those are the suggested amendments. Members, any discussion?

Yeah. Chair.

Yes.

Thank you, chair. I think that the intention and direction for animal control, specifically cats, as we're talking here, and having a robust spay neuter financial support is paramount. What I cannot support is a trap neuter release because of our endangered species. That is proven time and time and time again that it does not work to reduce the overall population of cats, and though it makes us feel better, we're actually not doing anything.

And quite frankly, in this day and age, with the food insecurity in our state running at thirty percent of our families, meaning one out of three families don't know if they're gonna have dinner—Big Island is worse, closer to 45. Committing funds to this program when our, our kids are not even sure they're gonna get dinner, I cannot support this bill. And with those amendments about trap, neuter, release, because of the impact on our endangered species and where we're headed, I cannot support the bill, and I will be voting no.

Okay. Understood. Any further discussion?

Chair. Thank—I appreciate the amendments. You know, I have the same comments as Senator Richards, you know, trap, neuter, release, again, to, you know, an island like Molokai where we're heavily dependent on our protected endangered species. You know, we've seen the challenges. You know, there's issues with that.

And, you know, I, I have a hard time supporting this bill. So, with that being said, I, I too will be voting no on this bill.

Okay.

Oh, okay. Well, maybe after having discussions with my committee members, we would defer action on this particular measure. Okay. Onto the next measure on the agenda, House Bill 1718, HD 1, relating to housing. We had a hearing on this measure last week and would like to align ourselves with our friends from the Housing Committee and make a number of recommendations or amendments.

We'll pass with the same amendments made by the Housing Committee. We're going to further defect the date to 04/19/2042. We will continue—oh, okay. I don't know. It says we are going to further defect the dates.

Oh, we'll have to be specific. Okay. We're gonna follow Chair Chang's leadership on some amorphous defective date, and we will confine authority to mixed-use, transit-oriented developments that include housing along a locally preferred alternative for a mass transit system. We will further amend Section 4.

We're gonna delete the language that says, "And shall be repealed on 06/30/2028," provided that Section 46-15.1 Hawaii Revised Statute shall be reenacted in the form in which it read on the day before the effective date of this act.

We're going to add the following language: "Provided that the amendments made to Section 46-15.—15.1—by Section 2 of this act shall only apply to bonds originally issued prior to July 1, 2033, and shall not be repealed when that section is reenacted on."

Another amendment is that we will further insert the following language: "The authority provided under Section 46-15.1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, as amended by this Act, shall continue to apply to any mixed-use development project for which, prior to July 1, 2033, the county has obtained county council approval or entered into a binding agreement, including a purchase agreement, predevelopment agreement, development agreement, or ground lease, committing the county to the acquisition and/or development of the property or mixed-use development."

"Any such project shall be deemed vested and may be—may proceed—to completion, notwithstanding any subsequent repeal or modification of the authority provided under this section." And those are the amendments. Members, any discussion? If not, Senator Chang, I vote yes.

[Roll Call]

Great. Thank you.

Okay. Thank you for joining us for this Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs on this Thursday, March 24.

It's about 03:03 in the afternoon in Room 016. And we have one measure on this agenda that being House Bill 1644 HD 2, relating to Consumer Protection. On our testifiers list, we have Melissa Enright from DCCA.

Thank you, chair, vice chair, members. I'm not Melissa Enright, I'm Mana Moriarty, I'm the Executive Director at Office of Consumer Protection. We're in support of this bill. We've offered a housekeeping amendment. This bill is an unopposed bill. I believe we are offering an unopposed housekeeping amendment.

The amendment would clarify our office's role in creating the standardized cover sheet, which is the basis for the disclosures required in this bill. We wanna make a date certain. We wanna make, sure that we are have the authority to consult with the right folks. And we want you to entrust us with the responsibility of taking the appropriate action to revise the template as we deem appropriate.

Great. Thanks, Mister Moriarty. That's all I have for those indicating desire to testify. Is there anyone else?

I got the solar issue, but you didn't indicate you wanted to testify, Sandy.

Oh, sorry. Rocky is off island. That's why. So we will stand on their testimony in support. I will add though, then in talking to DCCA, HSEA will support their proposed amendment for the template language, which is on page five, lines 13 through 16. Thank you.

Yep. Got it. Is there anyone else wishing to testify on HB 1644?

If not, members, any questions?

If not, we're gonna just jump straight into decision making.

So we're gonna take DCCA's Office of Consumer Protections amendments to replace language at page five line 16 excuse me, 13 through 16. And their language is already outlined in their testimony, so we just grab that and put that into the the measure. Any discussion?

Nope. If not, Senator Chang, I vote yes.

Chair's recommendation for HB 1644 is to pass with amendments. Chair votes yes. Vice chair votes aye. Senator DeCoite?

Aye.

Senator Richards is excused. Senator Fevella?

Aye.

Recommendation is adopted.

Great. Thank you for sticking around, Woodger.