STAND. COM. REP. NO.  274

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 1403

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 1403 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to address the infestation of little fire ants in the County of Hawaii by requiring, and providing funding to, the Department of Agriculture to:

(1)  Develop and implement a pilot Pesticide Treatment Coupon Project that would distribute coupons redeemable for qualifying pesticides at suppliers and vendors by individuals who have reported and verified the presence of little fire ants on their property; and

(2)  Create a map that indicates all little fire ant sites in the County of Hawaii.

The Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Maui Chamber of Commerce, Hawaii Farmers Union United, Hawaii Island School Garden Network, ‘Ai Pohaku, Three Roads Farm, and numerous concerned individuals supported this measure.  A concerned individual supported this measure with amendments.  The Department of Agriculture and Department of Land and Natural Resources provided comments on this measure.

     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 H.B. No. 1403 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

CLIFT TSUJI, Chair