Report Title:

County of Hawaii; Coqui Frog; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates funds to control or eradicate the coqui frog.

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	1595
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE COUNTY OF HAWAI'I FOR COQUI FROG ERADICATION AND CONTROL.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the island of Hawai' i continues to be infested by the invasive species of Caribbean tree frog, eleutherodactylus coqui, more commonly known as coqui frogs, since their accidental introduction on the island of Hawai'i in the early 1990's.  The county of Hawai'i, state department of agriculture, University of Hawai'i at Hilo, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services Division, and the National Wildlife Research Center have formed the coqui frog working group and have produced the coqui frog working group incident action plan to combat this invasive specie which focuses on three primary areas:  eradication and control, research, and community education and support.  While the county of Hawai'i, the State, and the federal government have contributed in the past to this eradication effort, continued assistance is needed to deal with the coqui frog problem.

     SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $2,000,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007-2008, for a grant‑in‑aid to the county of Hawai'i for the support and implementation of the coqui frog working group incident action plan.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the county of Hawai'i for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2007.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________