STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1386

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.R. No. 181

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.R. No. 181 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO REVIEW FEDERAL LAWS PERTAINING TO THE STATE INSPECTION OF AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES ARRIVING INTO THE STATE OF HAWAII FROM INTERNATIONAL DESTINATIONS, THE EXPORT OF AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES FROM THE STATE OF HAWAII TO THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES WITHOUT INSPECTION, AND THE USE OF AIRPORT REVENUES FOR AGRICULTURAL INSPECTIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to control the introduction of invasive species to Hawaii through air travel by encouraging the federal government to review laws that currently allow for agricultural commodities arriving from international destinations to evade inspection in Hawaii, require stringent quarantine for Hawaii's agricultural goods exported to the mainland, and prevent airport revenues to be used for state agricultural inspections.     

The Department of Agriculture, Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, and Nature Conservancy of Hawaii supported this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Amending the title to read "URGING THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO REVIEW FEDERAL LAWS PERTAINING TO THE STATE INSPECTION OF AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES ARRIVING INTO THE STATE OF HAWAII FROM INTERNATIONAL DESTINATIONS AND THE USE OF AIRPORT REVENUES FOR AGRICULTURAL INSPECTIONS";

     (2)  Adding a provision emphasizing that Hawaii has the most endangered species of any state in the nation, which is exacerbated by unregulated invasive species entering the state;

     (3)  Clarifying that the federal government asserts that the State does not have the authority to inspect commodities arriving from international destinations;

     (4)  Clarifying that increased pest infestation not only poses a risk to the expansion of Hawaii's agricultural industry but also to existing crops;

     (5)  Removing provisions requesting that the federal government review the impact of federal laws pertaining to the mandatory inspection of agricultural goods exported from Hawaii to the continental United States;

     (6)  Requesting the federal government to either clarify that the State of Hawaii has the authority to inspect incoming commodities from international destinations or change the law to provide such authority; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 181, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 181, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

JESSICA WOOLEY, Chair