Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Agriculture and Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 1406 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to fund permanent agricultural inspectors to inspect agriculture-related products and produce coming into the state or moving within the state to control or eliminate invasive species.

The Mayor of the County of Maui, a member of the Maui County Council, Big Island Farm Bureau, Hawaii's Thousand Friends, Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter, and a concerned citizen supported this bill. The Department of Land and Natural Resources and Department of Agriculture supported the intent of this bill.

Your Committees recognize that additional manpower devoted to agricultural inspections for alien species will help protect the state against new arrivals as well as prevent the inter-island spread of existing invasive species.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Energy & Environmental Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1406 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.