STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3103

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2843

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs, Energy and Environment, and Transportation and International Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2843, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to increase the scope of the existing inspection, quarantine, and eradication service fee to provide funding for the Department of Agriculture to conduct inspections of imported freight to prevent the introduction of invasive species, and for the facilities necessary to conduct such inspections.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Agriculture, Hawaii County Council, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Maui County Farm Bureau, Hawaii Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, Conservation Council for Hawaii, Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, and one individual.  Testimony in support of the intent of this measure was submitted by Alexander and Baldwin, Inc. and The University of Hawaii Environmental Center.  Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Hawaii Food Industry Association, Airlines Committee of Hawaii, and Air Transport Association.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources submitted testimony requesting further discussion regarding this measure, but deferring to the Department of Agriculture should this measure pass these Committees.  The Tax Foundation of Hawaii submitted comments regarding this measure.

     Your Committees encourage that any future committee considering this measure consider that the assessed fee take into consideration the amount of administrative costs incurred as a result of agricultural inspections, including operational and capital improvement project costs.  In addition, your Committees recommend that any future committee considering this measure consider including a provision which would provide for the potential reimbursement of administrative costs incurred by complying with required agricultural inspections.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by amending the effective date to July 1, 2050 to allow for further discussion regarding this measure.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs and Energy and Environment and Transportation and International Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2843, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2843, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs and Energy and Environment and Transportation and International Affairs,

____________________________ RON MENOR, Chair	____________________________ JILL TOKUDA, Chair
	____________________________ J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair