STAND. COM. REP. NO.  652

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 Finance, 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 allow the Department of Agriculture to be more proactive and aggressive in implementing its program to eradicate the invasive little fire ant in the County of Hawaii by requiring the Department, and appropriating funds, 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.

Two Councilmembers from Hawaii County Districts 3 and 9, Maui Chamber of Commerce, and Hawaii Farm Bureau testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Agriculture, Department of Land and Natural Resources, The Nature Conservancy, Hawaii Pest Control Association, and a concerned individual 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. 1403 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair