CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 43

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2007

RE:    S.B. No. 1066

       S.D. 2

       H.D. 2

       C.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam and Sir:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 1066, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to:

     (1)  Require the Department of Agriculture to prescribe a schedule of service fee and charges and collect appropriate service fees or charges for pest inspection, quarantine, and eradication services from any importer of commercial shipments;

     (2)  Establish the pest inspection, quarantine, and eradication fund; and

     (3)  Make an appropriation out of the pest inspection, quarantine, and eradication fund.

     Your Committee on Conference finds that invasive species pose a significant threat to the environment, culture, economy, and quality of life in Hawaii.  The lack of adequate and sustainable funding to prevent the introduction of invasive species into the State inhibits enforcement.  Increased inspection at ports of entry will help prevent new invasive species from becoming established by proactively preventing their entry through enhanced vigilance.  This measure will assist in funding preventative and mitigative invasive species activities.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Establishing a set fee for the inspection, quarantine, and eradication of invasive species computed on the basis of one dollar for each twenty-foot equivalent unit per containers, in lieu of requiring the Department of Agriculture to establish a fee schedule;

     (2)  Deleting the appropriation section; and

     (3)  Changing the effective date from July 1, 2025 to July 1, 2007.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1066, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1066, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ CLIFT TSUJI, Co-Chair	____________________________ RON MENOR, Chair
____________________________ HERMINA MORITA, Co-Chair	____________________________ SHAN S. TSUTSUI, Co-Chair
____________________________ JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Co-Chair
____________________________ MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Co-Chair