STAND. COM. REP. 1096

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 857

S.D. 2

H.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 857, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to establish the Hawaii Invasive Species Council (Council) to coordinate efforts to control and eradicate invasive species.

The Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species and Invasive Species Committees on Kauai, Oahu, Maui, Molokai, and the Big Island, Pineapple Growers Association of Hawaii, Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, and a member of the Maui County Council testified in support of this bill.

The Attorney General and the Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter, testified in support of this measure and offered amendments.

The Department of Agriculture, the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), and Na Leo Pohai testified in support of the intent of this bill.

 

 

Your Committee believes that a critical need exists to focus attention and direct resources toward protecting our natural environment and the health and safety of Hawaii's people from the uncontrolled spread of invasive species.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Placing the Council within DLNR rather than the Office of the Governor;

(2) Adopting language recommended by the Attorney General's Office concerning entry upon private land where invasive species is found, if entry is refused, after proper notice; and

(3) Deleting language that would have required the Council to "designate appropriate state agencies to manage efforts related to each invasive species identified," to avoid a conflict with language in another provision.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 857, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 857, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

 

____________________________

ERIC G. HAMAKAWA, Chair