STAND. COM. REP. NO.  818-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2977

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2977, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to address the coqui frog problem near residential areas by directing the Hawaii Invasive Species Council, in its required plan, to give priority to eradicating coqui frogs that are on state or county land within one mile of residential areas.

     The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Hawaii County Council, and Hawaii Audubon Society testified in support of this bill.  Animal Rights Hawaii and several concerned individuals opposed this measure.  The Department of Agriculture, Department of Land and Natural Resources, and The Nature Conservancy offered comments.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2977, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair