Hawaii-2024-SB2911-Introduced

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2911
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to state snails.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that Hawaii's land snails have a significant role in native ecosystems. Hawaii's land snails act as fungivores that scrape fungus from plants to promote plant health, decompose decaying material for plant nutrients, and are a major component of intact watershed forest communities. These snails may also serve as a food source for other native species. In Hawaiian culture, snails such as kāhuli, pūpūkanioe, and pūpū kuahiwi have a significant role in native songs, hula, and chants and are a symbol of romance and omens. Furthermore, land snails are among the most threatened of all animal groups in the world, with more recorded extinctions than birds and mammals combined.

The legislature further finds that designating certain species as official state snails that are emblematic of Hawaii will increase awareness of the imperiled status and cultural and ecological relevance of all Hawaiian land snails, preserve their cultural and ecological significance, and encourage continued conservation of native Hawaiian invertebrates.

The legislature also finds that previous legislation in 2020 would have designated a single species as the state snail and that, due to the geographic variability of snails and their close ties to particular islands, the senate standing committee on government operations invited the Bishop Museum and department of land and natural resources to suggest multiple snails species to be designated as official state snails to better represent the diversity of the Hawaiian Islands.

The legislature finds that 2023 was proclaimed "Year of the Kāhuli", during which the Bishop Museum organized a statewide snail voting campaign to give voice to the community in deciding which snail species to recommend to the legislature to be designated as the official state snail for each island. As a result, Hawaii's K-12 students and community members from across the State voted to establish snails that are emblematic of the distinctive flora and fauna of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and each island in Hawaii.

The purpose of this Act is to designate official state snails based on the results of the Bishop Museum community outreach and voting process.

SECTION 2. Chapter 5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§5- State snails. (a) Hini hini kua mauna (Succinea konaensis) is established and designated as the official snail of the island of Hawai‘i.

(b) Pūpū kua mauna (Lyropupa striatula) is established and designated as the official snail of the island of Maui.

(c) Pūpū kua mauna (Pleuropoma laciniosa kahoolawensis) is established and designated as the official snail of the island of Kaho‘olawe.

(d) Pūpū kuahiwi (Auriculella lanaiensis) is established and designated as the official snail of the island of Lāna‘i.

(e) Pūpū kuahiwi (Laminella venusta) is established and designated as the official snail of the island of Moloka‘i.

(f) Kāhuli (Kaala subrutila) is established and designated as the official snail of the island of O‘ahu.

(g) Erinna newcombi is established and designated as the official snail of the island of Kaua‘i.

(h) Kahelelani‘ila‘ula (Collonista verruca) is established and designated as the official snail of the island of Ni‘ihau.

(i) Naka kua mauna (Endodonta christenseni) is established and designated as the official snail of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands."

SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________