STAND. COM. REP. NO.  304-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 2143

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 2143 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to effectively and expeditiously address the threat of invasive species in Hawaii by:

(1)  Authorizing the state Invasive Species Council to adopt rules, without regard to the notice and public hearing requirements of the Hawaii Administrative Procedure Act (Act) to make additions and deletions from the list identifying invasive species; provided that rules are adopted pursuant to the Act that provide for public input and notice of the revisions to the list; and

(2)  Clarifying that the agents of a member department of the Invasive Species Council may enter premises where invasive species are found, as provided by law.

The Department of Agriculture, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Office of Hawaiian Affairs,  Invasive Species Council, The Nature Conservancy, Conservation Council for Hawaii, O‘ahu Invasive Species Committee, American Bird Conservancy, Hawaii Cattlemen's Council and a concerned individual  supported this measure.  The Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association and several concerned individuals opposed this measure.  The Landscape Industry Council of Hawaii and an concerned individual submitted comments on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to January 20, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

     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. 2143, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2143, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

____________________________

CLIFT TSUJI, Chair