STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1659-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   S.B. No. 2850

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 2

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 S.B. No. 2850, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BIOSECURITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to prevent and control the importation and spread of pests by:

     (1)  Statutorily establishing the Department of Agriculture's (DOA's) Biosecurity Program (Program); and

     (2)  Providing funding for the Program, and for the planning of interim and permanent joint inspection biosecurity facilities.

     The Maui County Farm Bureau, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter, Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, and Nature Conservancy of Hawaii supported this bill.  DOA, Department of Land and Natural Resources, and the Department of Transportation submitted comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Specifying that DOA submit the required annual reports no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session of the Legislature; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for style, clarity, and consistency.

     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 S.B. No. 2850, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2850, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair