STAND. COM. REP. NO. 670

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1066

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1066, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INVASIVE SPECIES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Agriculture to charge a fee for inspection, quarantine, and eradication services for invasive species.

 

     The measure also establishes a Pest Inspection, Quarantine, and Eradication Fund to act as a receptacle for various sources of governmental funding with respect to inspection and quarantine treatment services.

 

     Your Committee received comments in support from the Nature Conservancy, the Sierra Club, and two concerned citizens on this measure.  The Department of Budget and Finance, Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association, Alexander and Baldwin Inc., Horizon Lines, the Hawaii Transportation Association, and the Hawaii Food Industry Association submitted comments opposing the measure.

 

     The Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture, the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, and the Airlines Committee of Hawaii submitted comments.

 

     Your Committee finds that the fight against invasive species is only good as the system that inspects and quarantines these pests upon their infiltration into the State.  Currently, a major obstacle in the fight against invasive species is the cost of various governmental programs including programs that provide inspection and quarantine treatment services.

 

     This measure addresses this obstacle by providing the means to raise funding levels by charging fees for inspection and quarantine treatment services at strategic points across the State.  Also, the fee is assessed only on those persons who are most likely to be transporting invasive species into Hawaii's borders.

 

     Your Committee has amended the measure by:

 

(1)  Changing the term "eradication" to "quarantine treatment" to more accurately describe the services performed; and

 

     (2)  Making technical changes for purposes of clarity and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1066, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1066, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair