STAND. COM. REP. NO.  668-16

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1607

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1607 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 threat of the little fire ant to the bio-environment, agricultural production, economy, and human health by:

 

     (1)  Expanding the Department of Agriculture's Little Fire Ant Program to include a Pilot Pesticide Treatment Coupon Project (Coupon Project) that provides coupons redeemable for appropriate pesticides to people who report and verify the presence of little fire ants on their property in the County of Hawaii;

 

     (2)  Requiring the Department of Agriculture to create, update, and place on its website, a map of little fire ant sites in the County of Hawaii;

 

     (3)  Requiring the Department of Agriculture to submit a progress report on the Coupon Project and the little fire ant site map to the Legislature; and

 

     (4)  Appropriating funds for the Coupon Project and the little fire ant site map.


     The University of Hawaii, Councilmember from District 4 of the County of Hawaii, Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, and Hawaii Farm Bureau testified in support of this measure.  We Are One, Inc., and a concerned individual testified in opposition to this measure.  The Department of Agriculture, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Hawaii Pest Control Association, Hawaii Association of Realtors, and Aloha Arborist Association 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. 1607 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair