HB206 HD1 Hearing

House Bill 206  is scheduled for a hearing on Thursday, February 26th at 11:00a.m., Conference Room 308 at the State Capitol.

Why should you support the bill?

• The increased use of Hawaiian plants will support the native plant industry; educate residents and visitors about Hawai’is unique culture, history, and environment; preserve our cultural heritage; and help to restore the ecological integrity of our islands
• By promoting the use of plants specifically adapted to the geographic location in which they have evolved, this bill will help to restore balance to our island environment, while also reducing maintenance and other costs (such as decreased use of water, etc.) associated with landscaping.
• In a generation, Hawai’is urban, built environment will better reflect the cultural and ecological heritage of our islands, promoting a true appreciation for our islands by visitors and residents alike
• Increasing the use of Hawaiian plants will also support efforts to slow or stop the rate of extinction for endangered and threatened plants and wildlife that are found nowhere else in the world.

For more information about HB206 or other bills from our 2015 legislative package, please visit oha.org/legislation.

How can you support the bill?

Support the bill by logging into the Hawai’i State Capitol website and submit testimony or testify in-person. This bill phases in the increased use of Hawaiian plants in new and renovated publicly-funded landscaping projects. Hawaiian plants are important both culturally and ecologically, and the use of Hawaiian plants fosters a uniquely Hawaiian sense of place.

Sample Testimony

OPTION 1: I strongly SUPPORT HB206 which will require the use of Hawaiian plants in public landscaping projects. I believe that Hawaiian plants are important both culturally and ecologically, and the use of Hawaiian plants fosters a uniquely Hawaiian sense of place. Hawaiian plants are important because they are the foundation of Native Hawaiian traditional and customary practices, and are celebrated in Native Hawaiian place names, mo‘olelo, and cultural art forms such as hula. At the same time, normalizing the use of Hawaiian plants will provide essential habitat for native animals, insects, and birds, which are found only in Hawai’i. I urge the committee to PASS this bill.

OPTION 2: I strongly SUPPORT HB206 which will require the use of Hawaiian plants in public landscaping projects. There are many economic benefits to landscaping with Hawaiian plants. Hawaiian plants have adapted to the local environment over hundreds or thousands of years, and can require less water, which decreases maintenance costs. Raising awareness about the value of Hawaiian plants and normalizing the use of these plants may reduce the introduction of alien invasive species, thereby protecting our native forests, native ecosystems as well as agricultural and tourism economies. I urge the committee to PASS this bill