STAND. COM. REP. NO.  408

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1040

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 1040 entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to help address the threat of invasive species in Hawaii by:

 

     (1)  Directing the Hawaii Invasive Species Council to contract with the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization to establish an economic model formula that establishes the impact and cost of mitigating invasive species in the State, and appropriating funds for this purpose; and

 

     (2)  Directing the Legislative Reference Bureau to update its 2002 study on invasive species and submit the updated component to the Legislature no later than 20 days prior to the Regular Session of 2016.

 

     The Oahu Invasive Species Committee, Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, and Hawaii Farm Bureau supported this measure.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources, University of Hawaii, and Legislative Reference Bureau submitted comments.


 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Adding to the scope of the economic model formula on the impact and cost of mitigating the most significant invasive species in the State;

 

     (2)  Requiring the Legislative Reference Bureau to update its 2002 study in coordination with the Hawaii Invasive Species Council; and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1040, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1040, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair