STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3590

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 1050

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1050, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INTERISLAND MOVEMENT OF INVASIVE SPECIES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to mitigate, deter, and prevent the spread of invasive species in the State.

 

     More specifically, this measure:

 

     (1)  Requires the Department of Agriculture and the Hawaii Invasive Species Council to perform specified tasks to address the interisland spread of invasive species;

 

     (2)  Requires the Department of Agriculture and the Hawaii Invasive Species Council to submit annual reports to the Legislature; and

 

     (3)  Appropriates funds for specified tasks to address the interisland spread of invasive species.

 

     Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Land and Natural Resources, and the University of Hawaii System.

 

     Your Committee finds that the spread of invasive species among islands of the State threaten and harm agriculture, native biota, public health, and the economy.  The Hawaii Invasive Species Council and the Department of Agriculture should collaborate more efficiently and effectively to mitigate, deter, and prevent the spread of invasive species, especially in agricultural production areas, conservation lands, and residential areas.

 

     Your Committee notes its intent that the general fund appropriation in this Act be utilized if the appropriations from non-general funds provided in the Act are insufficient for the specified purposes.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting section 3 of the measure, which required the Hawaii Invasive Species Council to undertake invasive species management on non-agricultural lands for specified purposes;

 

     (2)  Deleting section 5 of the measure, which required the Hawaii Invasive Species Council to submit an annual report to the Legislature;

 

     (3)  Clarifying that the provision of chemicals and equipment to assist growers in reducing infestation in agricultural areas relates to reducing the potential interisland movement of invasive species;

 

     (4)  Specifying that an appropriation from the general revenues of the State shall be for "the purposes of this Act," rather than a specific section of the Act and changing the expending agency to the Department of Agriculture, rather than the Hawaii Invasive Species Council; and

 

     (5)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.


 

     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 H.B. No. 1050, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1050, S.D. 2.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair