STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2051

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2110

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 2110 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE REGULATION OF PESTICIDES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Agriculture to hire an additional three inspector positions to oversee and regulate pesticide use in Hawaii.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; County of Kauai; Maui County Council; Kauai County Council; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation; Babes Against Biotech; Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; DuPont Pioneer; and three individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, Maui County Farm Bureau, and one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from four individuals.

     Your Committee finds that pesticide use regulation is a major concern for Hawaii residents and affects the public health, safety, and welfare of Hawaii residents.  Unfortunately, due to the recent fiscal crisis and a significant budgetary shortfall, the State eliminated key personnel positions needed to regulate pesticide use in 2010.  As a consequence, the remaining inspectors are too overworked to ensure that the minimum standards for pesticide use are met.  It is vital that pesticide use inspector positions be restored so that pesticide use is properly regulated in the State.

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Appropriating the funds for the additional pesticide use inspector positions from the pesticide use revolving fund, rather than the general fund;

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2014, to coincide with the beginning of the fiscal year; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2110, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2110, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair