STAND. COM. REP. NO.  697

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 1040

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1040, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to further the understanding of the economic impact that invasive species have on the State by, among other things:

(1)  Requiring the Hawaii Invasive Species Council to develop and contract with the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization for an expanded economic model formula that establishes the impact of and cost to mitigate the most significant invasive species in the State and appropriating funds for the contract; and

(2)  Requiring the Legislative Reference Bureau to update its 2002 study, "Filling the Gaps in the Fight Against Invasive Species" and submit the updated component of its study to the Legislature no later than 20 days prior to the Regular Session of 2016.

The Hawaii Farm Bureau, Hawaii Invasive Species Council, Oahu Invasive Species Committee, and Nature Conservancy supported this measure.  The Department of Agriculture, Department of Land and Natural Resources, University of Hawaii, and Legislative Reference Bureau provided 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. 1040, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair