STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1259

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   S.B. No. 1066

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 1066, S.D. 2, entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to provide dedicated funding for pest inspection and treatment by:

     (1)  Requiring the Department of Agriculture (DOA) to collect fees or charges for invasive species pest inspection and quarantine treatment services from any person who imports any article or packing material described under section 150A-5, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS); and

     (2)  Establishing the Pest Inspection and Quarantine Treatment Services Fund.

     The Mayor of Maui County, three members of the Maui County Council, Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter, Conservation Council for Hawaii, The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, Hawaii Forest Industry Association, Hawaii Audubon Society, and the Maui Invasive Species Committee supported this bill.  DOA supported this bill with amendments.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources supported the intent of this measure.  The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, Horizon Lines, LLC, Alexander & Baldwin, Inc., and Matson Navigation Company, Inc., opposed this bill.  Several concerned individuals submitted comments.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by deleting its contents and inserting the contents of House Bill No. 772, H.D. 2, with additional revisions.  As amended, this bill:

     (1)  Requires DOA to collect service fees or charges for pest inspection, quarantine, and eradication services from any importer of commercial shipments, as defined by rule and subject to the provisions of section 150A-5 and chapter 141, HRS;

     (2)  Establishes the Pest Inspection, Quarantine, and Eradication Fund (Fund) to be used for the operation of inspection and monitoring programs, related facilities, and the execution of emergency remedial measures when pests are detected;

     (3)  Includes, in the list of funding sources for the Fund, grants and gifts, interest earned from moneys in the Fund, and any other moneys made available to the Fund; and

     (4)  Appropriates an unspecified amount of funds out of the Fund to be used for the purposes of the Fund.

     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 S.B. No. 1066, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1066, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Transportation.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________ HERMINA MORITA, Chair

____________________________ CLIFT TSUJI, Chair