Appropriates additional funds for statewide control or eradication efforts relating to the coqui frog. (HB1301 CD1)

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. In 2003, the legislature established the Hawaii invasive species council and found "the silent invasion of Hawaii by alien invasive species is the single greatest threat to Hawaii's economy, natural environment, and the health and lifestyle of Hawaii's people and visitors." The council provides the institutional framework for leadership and coordination of a statewide invasive species prevention and control program among the federal, state, and county levels of government, the University of Hawaii, and nongovernmental organizations to maximize limited resources to address this challenge.

Through past legislative support, the Hawaii invasive species council played a key role in attempting to contain environmental scourges, including the coqui frog. It is the intent of the legislature to continue this support to educate Hawaii's public on the problems caused by the coqui frog and assist in its control and eradication statewide.

The legislature also finds that it is necessary to accelerate response and control efforts of the coqui frog. Therefore, in addition to the amounts requested by the Hawaii invasive species council for the biennial period, the purpose of this Act is to appropriate additional funds directly to the counties, to work in collaboration with each county's invasive species committee or other invasive species working groups, specifically for response and control efforts for programs and initiatives that are found to be most effective in the control or eradication of the coqui frog.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $300,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2005-2006 for response and control efforts for programs and initiatives that are found to be most effective in the control or eradication of the coqui frog, to each county, to work in collaboration with each county's invasive species committee or other invasive species working groups, as follows:

City and county of Honolulu $50,000

County of Kauai $50,000

County of Maui $100,000

County of Hawaii $100,000

The sums appropriated to each county shall be expended by that county for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2005.