STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1662

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1641

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 1641, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PESTICIDES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to ensure public safety by requiring that individuals who use restricted pesticides are properly licensed.

     The measure accomplishes this purpose by defining a pest control operator as a commercial pesticide applicator who holds a license pursuant to chapter 460J, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and by making it illegal for a dealer to sell restricted use pesticides to structural pest control applicators whose license is more than one hundred twenty-two days delinquent.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii Pest Control Association.

     Your Committee finds that formerly licensed pest control operators have continued to use restricted chemicals without proper licenses.  Your Committee further finds that it is important to protect the public's health and safety by ensuring that individuals who use these often lethal chemicals are appropriately licensed.

     Your Committee has amended this measure, upon the recommendation of the Hawaii Pest Control Association, to change the time period for which a pest control operator must have held a pest control license in order for a pesticide dealer to sell restricted use pesticides to the operator or the operator's employee, from one hundred twenty-two days to one hundred twenty days.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1641, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1641, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair