Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 2134 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to protect Hawaii's environment from invasive species by establishing the Emergency Environmental Workforce (Workforce) to provide labor to assist the counties in combating invasive species throughout the state. This bill appropriates an unspecified sum to support the activities of the Workforce which would be attached to the Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii (RCUH) for administrative purposes.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, four members of the Maui County Council, Hawaii Audubon Society, Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter, Board of Directors and Owners at Kihei Akahi, and two individuals testified in support of this measure. RCUH also supported this bill with amendments. The Nature Conservancy, Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, and Department of Land and Natural Resources supported the intent of this measure. The Department of Agriculture offered comments.

This bill provides an additional tool in the eradication of invasive species. In 2002, Executive Order No. 2002-03 established the Hawaii Invasive Species Council (Council) to provide policy-level direction and planning for combating harmful invasive species infestations throughout the State. Last year, to ensure its continuation, the Legislature codified the Council through Act 85, Session Laws of Hawaii 2003 (Act 85). The purposes of Act 85 are to:

Your Committee respectfully requests the Committee on Finance to consider clarifying that the State and not RCUH shall be responsible for covering the unemployment claims of Workforce employees.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2134 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.