STAND. COM. REP. NO. 230

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 521
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Economic Development, to which was
referred S.B. No. 521 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE BROWN TREE SNAKE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to create a task force within
the Department of Agriculture to investigate the problem of the
brown tree snake in Hawaii.

     Your Committee received testimony from the Department of
Agriculture (DOA), the Department of Land and Natural Resources
(DLNR), and the Environmental Center at the University of
Hawai`i, in support of the concerns expressed in the measure.

     Your Committee finds that the agencies most concerned with
stopping the importation of the brown tree snake to Hawaii,
consider this snake a serious threat to Hawaii's environment.  To
this end, the DOA currently chairs a Brown Tree Snake Technical
Committee under the auspices of the Coordinating Group on Alien
Pest Species (CGAPS).  Members of CGAPS include representatives
from various State, federal, military, and private organizations.

     Your Committee further finds that resources to implement
increased inspections in both Hawaii and Guam, eradication, and
public education, remain a critical need at this time.

     Your Committee is in support of all efforts to rid the
islands of the brown tree snake, as well as other alien species,

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 230
                                   Page 2


and has amended this measure to replace the contents with
authorization to establish one full-time permanent alien species
coordinator position in DLNR, and to make an unspecified
appropriation for the position.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Economic Development that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of S.B. No. 521, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass
Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 521,
S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Economic
                                   Development,



                                   ______________________________
                                   LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair

 
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