STAND. COM. REP. NO.  323-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2516

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 2516 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BIOSECURITY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to improve and enhance the infrastructure necessary to prevent the importation and spread of invasive species by:

     (1)  Authorizing and appropriating $5,000,000 in general obligation bond funds and appropriating $5,000,000 in federal funds for the construction of joint biosecurity inspection facilities at Honolulu International Airport; and

     (2)  Authorizing and appropriating $1,500,000 in general obligation bond funds for planning and designing a joint biosecurity facility at Honolulu Harbor.

     The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Maui County Farm Bureau, Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, Conservation Council for Hawaii, Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, and the Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter, supported this bill. The Department of Agriculture and Department of Land and Natural Resources supported the intent of this measure.  The Department of Transportation submitted comments.

     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 H.B. No. 2516 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________ HERMINA MORITA, Chair

____________________________ CLIFT TSUJI, Chair