STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1058

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 744

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 744 entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to effectively respond to an invasive species that is plaguing the State's coffee industry.

 

     More specifically, the measure requires the Hawaii Invasive Species Council to:

 

     (1)  Amend its administrative rules, by an unspecified date, to classify the fungal pathogen that causes coffee leaf rust as an invasive species; and

 

     (2)  Expend any available moneys for mitigation efforts, research, and prevention or control actions with respect to coffee leaf rust.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Councilmember representing District 8 (North Kona) of the Hawaii County Council, Hawaii Coffee Association, Kona Coffee Farmers Association, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Kona Restoration Farm, Hawaii Coffee Growers Association, and five individuals.

 

     Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

 

     Your Committee finds that previous efforts spearheaded by the Hawaii Invasive Species Council to mount a comprehensive response to the invasive, non-indigenous fungal pathogen that causes rapid ohia death resulted in effective mitigation of that threat, and that the requirements of this measure will facilitate similar efforts by the Council to effectively mitigate the threat posed by coffee leaf rust to the State's coffee industry.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

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

 

     (2)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, consistency, 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. 744, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 744, S.D. 1.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair