STAND. COM. REP. NO.  899-14

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1994

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1994 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CIVIL LIABILITY FOR THE INTRASTATE TRANSPORT OF INVASIVE SPECIES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to protect Hawaii's residents, businesses, and natural resources against the intrastate movement of invasive species.  Specifically, this measure:

 

     (1)  Regulates the intrastate movement of certain articles and equipment that present a risk of spreading invasive species;

 

     (2)  Establishes a civil penalty for any person who moves infested regulated articles intrastate;

 

     (3)  Appropriates funds to the Department of Agriculture for:

 

(A)  The enforcement of restrictions on intrastate movement of regulated articles; and

 

(B)  Establishment of an interisland quarantine program;

 

     (4)  Establishes within the Hawaii Invasive Species Council a task force to address the issue of the continued movement of invasive plants, plant pests, and vertebrate pests between islands; and

 

     (5)  Appropriates funds to establish the Invasive Species Task Force.

 

     The Sierra Club of Hawaii and the Molokai Subcommittee of the Maui Invasive Species Committee provided testimony in support of this measure.  The Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association and Hawaii Export Nursery Association provided testimony in opposition to this measure.  The Department of Agriculture, Department of Land and Natural Resources, and Maui Invasive Species Committee provided comments on this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Making the appropriations in unspecified amounts;

 

     (2)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2030, for the purpose of facilitating further discussion; and

 

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1994, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1994, H.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair