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Committee advances wildlife‑conservation bill after DLNR backs tougher penalties and rehabilitation option
Summary
The committee passed SB849 with amendments after DLNR supported increased penalties to deter taking of endangered species and recommended including rehabilitation measures; DLNR said it had no firm count of annual takes but supported deterrence measures.
The House Committee on Water & Land voted to advance SB849, a wildlife‑conservation bill that expands protections and penalties for taking certain protected species. DLNR testified in support and recommended including rehabilitation options as part of the bill’s penalty structure.
Committee members questioned DLNR about the incidence of take and the efficacy of fines versus incarceration as deterrents. Catherine Stanaway of DLNR’s Forestry and Wildlife branch said the department does not currently have a reliable record of the number of takes for the species discussed, that the birds are protected under state endangered‑species rules and administrative rule, and that penalties on the federal side are typically more stringent. DLNR staff said the department supports stronger penalties for deterrence generally but deferred to the legislature on specific penalty levels.
The committee also discussed rehabilitation and education as part of the bill. DLNR noted previous rehabilitation efforts for seabirds (for example, Kaʻena Point albatross rehabilitation) and said rehabilitation and education could be effective complementary responses to illegal take.
The committee adopted the chair’s recommendation to pass SB849 with technical amendments and to add rehabilitation language; one member recorded a reservation on the final vote.
Why it matters: Increased penalties and rehabilitation requirements could change enforcement priorities for endangered seabirds and other wildlife and affect how the state responds to illegal take.
What’s next: SB849 will move on with committee technical edits and the inclusion of rehabilitation/education options for violators; the judiciary and finance committees may consider penalty language and fiscal impacts in subsequent hearings.
