STAND. COM. REP. NO. 418

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 639

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs and Energy and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 639 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to prohibit the importation and sale of noxious weeds and any new plant species without first having the Department of Agriculture conduct an inspection and issue its approval. 

     In addition, this measure requires the Department of Agriculture to update its noxious weed list every two years and appropriates funds for the revision and review of the noxious weed list.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Conservation Council for Hawaii, the Sierra Club, and one individual.  Testimony in opposition was submitted by the Department of Agriculture.  The Department of the Attorney General submitted comments.

     Your Committees find that conservation organizations in the State are fighting to slow the invasion of alien plants that are spreading from home and commercial landscapes into native forests.  Your Committees further find that the introduction of new plants into Hawaii can contribute to the growing number of invasive species that are crowding out native plants and covering open fields.

     Your Committees note the concern that the prohibition of the importation of any new plant species without first acquiring the approval of the Department of Agriculture may prove burdensome and may be over-restrictive.  However, your Committees find that there is a need to improve the State's response to noxious weeds and to proactively address the importation of new invasive species.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Requiring the Department of Agriculture to annually review and, as necessary, update the list of plants designated as noxious weeds, rather than requiring an update every two-years;

     (2)  Removing the requirement that the Department of Agriculture inspect and approve new plant species before their sale or importation; and

     (3)  Prohibiting the offer for sale and the sale of noxious weeds in the State.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs and Energy and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 639, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 639, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs and Energy and Environment,

____________________________ RON MENOR, Chair

____________________________ RUSSELL S. KOKUBUN, Chair