STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1250

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1568

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1568, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to provide for the development and operation of biosecurity and inspection facilities at Hawaii's ports and applicable off-port locations.

     Specifically, the measure:

     (1)  Authorizes the Department of Agriculture to reimburse in full the Department of Transportation and the Aloha Tower Development Corporation for the design, construction, and rent for the use of space for the biosecurity and inspection facilities; and

     (2)  Appropriates funds for the Department of Agriculture to reimburse the Department of Transportation and the Aloha Tower Development Corporation for the establishment of biosecurity and inspection facilities.

     Your Committee received comments in support of this measure from Russell S. Kokubun, Chairperson, Board of Agriculture; William J. Aila, Jr., Chairperson, Department of Land and Natural Resources; Christy Martin, Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species; and two individuals.

     Your Committee received comments in opposition to the measure from Department of Transportation; The Nature Conservancy; and the Maui Invasive Species Committee.

     Your Committee received comments on this measure from Gary M. Slovin and Mihoko E. Ito, on behalf of the Air Transport Association; and Lori Peters and Blaine Miyasato, Co-Chairs, Airlines Committee of Hawaii.

     Your Committee finds that securely importing and exporting agricultural commodities is essential to the long-term viability of Hawaii's agriculture industry.  Proper inspection and treatment of incoming and outgoing agricultural commodities will reduce the probability of the introduction of new pests and invasive species to Hawaii and the proliferation of such pests and invasive species elsewhere.  This measure will decrease the likelihood of economic losses associated with the introduction of invasive species and reduce the likelihood of a quarantine on Hawaii's exported goods.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting the provisions authorizing the Department of Agriculture to reimburse the Department of Transportation and the Aloha Tower Development Corporation for the design and construction of the biosecurity and inspection facilities;

     (2)  Changing the funding mechanism to general obligation bonds for the Department of Transportation to design and construct biosecurity and inspection facilities for the Department of Agriculture at airports and harbors;

     (3)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2117, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of style, clarity, and consistency.

     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. 1568, 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. 1568, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair