Bill > HB1337

This bill requires the University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience to establish a pilot program for an endemic plant seed bank, with the goal of preserving and promoting plant species that are native only to Hawaii. The legislature recognizes that seed banks are a practical approach to conservation and that over half of Hawaii's native plant species are at risk of extinction due to human impacts. The pilot program will focus on developing a seed bank to collect and preserve endemic plant seeds, and the university will be required to submit a report with findings and recommendations to the legislature twenty days before the 2027 regular session. The pilot program is set to run until June 30, 2027, with an unusual effective date of July 1, 3000. The bill highlights the importance of protecting Hawaii's unique plant biodiversity by creating a systematic approach to collecting and potentially reintroducing endemic plant species that might otherwise be lost due to environmental changes and human activity.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance, Education

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=1337&year=2026