STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1022

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                

 

RE:    H.B. No. 904

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Water and Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 904, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

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

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Establish and appropriate funds to the invasive species rapid response special fund for the purposes of mitigating or eradicating newly detected invasive species threats in the State; and

 

     (2)  Authorize the Invasive Species Council to request that the Governor declare an invasive species emergency when the Council determines that a newly detected invasive species poses a substantial threat to the agriculture, commerce, economy, environment, or public health of the State.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Office of the Mayor of the County of Hawaii, Conservation Council for Hawaii, The Nature Conservancy, and five individuals.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from Animal Rights Hawaii and Best Friends Animal Society.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and The Humane Society of the United States.

 

     Your Committees find that the invasion of Hawaii by insects, disease-bearing organisms, snakes, weeds, and other pests is a significant threat to Hawaii's economy and natural environment and to the health and lifestyle of Hawaii's people.  Your Committees further find that an invasive species rapid response fund will increase the State's ability to immediately respond to threats from invasive species at the time of first detection, thus enhancing invasive species prevention and mitigation in Hawaii to effectively protect the State's natural resources and economy and the health and lifestyle of its people.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by making it effective on July 1, 2017.

 

     Your Committees recommend that if your Committee on Ways and Means chooses to pass this measure that it consider inserting an appropriation amount of $300,000 for deposit into the invasive species rapid response special fund.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Water and Land that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 904, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 904, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Water and Land,

 

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair

 

________________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair