STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3353

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2843

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2843, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to expand the invasive species inspection, quarantine, and eradication service fee to include all freight imported into the State.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, the Hawaii County Council, the Conservation Council for Hawaii, the Maui County Farm Bureau, the Nature Conservancy, the Hawaii Food Industry Association, the Big Island Invasive Species Committee, and two individuals.  The Airlines Committee of Hawaii submitted testimony in opposition to the measure.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Tax Foundation of Hawaii, Alexander and Baldwin, and the University of Hawaii Environmental Center submitted comments.

     Your Committee finds that the ongoing battle to keep invasive species from entering the State is expensive but necessary to protect Hawaii from the adverse effects of these foreign pests.  To help finance the State's efforts to protect against invasive species, this measure expands the invasive species inspection, quarantine, and eradication fee assessed on incoming container shipments, to include all incoming freight regardless of mode of transportation.  The expanded fee will provide needed funds to ensure that the State is adequately protected against invasive species.

     Your Committee has amended the measure by:

     (1)  Specifying that the party responsible for paying the fee is the person paying the freight charges to a transportation company;

     (2)  Clarifying that the transportation company is not liable for the fee in the event the party responsible for the fee fails to pay it; and

     (3)  Making technical amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2843, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2843, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair