STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2966

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2424

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Water, Land, and Agriculture and Economic Development, Environment, and Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 2424, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BIOSECURITY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Reaffirm the Legislature's finding that the implementation of the Department of Agriculture's biosecurity program is vital to the State;

     (2)  Authorize the Department of Agriculture to establish or participate in private-public partnerships to enhance the biosecurity program and quarantine inspection process; provided that Department employees perform the actual inspections;

     (3)  Require the Department of Agriculture to establish parameters and construction requirements for biosecurity facilities; and

     (4)  Appropriate monies to enable the Department of Agriculture to complete the implementation of the biosecurity program to include import replacement and pest management programs.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association, Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, Hawaii Papaya Industry Association, and forty-two individuals.

     Your Committees find that the unchecked spread of invasive species is one of the greatest threats to Hawaii's economy, natural environment, and the health and lifestyle of Hawaii's people.  Your Committees further find that the Department of Agriculture's biosecurity program is vital to the public's health and welfare.  While inspections are critical, building local capacity through public-private partnerships to increase the State's ability to stop the entry of high-risk products would enhance the State's ability to mitigate and manage invasive species, not only to protect the fragile environment, but to grow the local agricultural industries and increase levels of self-sufficiency and sustainability.

     Your Committees also find that it is necessary to ensure that confidential business information is protected during the quarantine inspection process.

     Your Committees have therefore amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting language to require that actual access to shipping documents is limited to shipping companies and Department of Agriculture personnel;

     (2)  Amending section 1 to better reflect its purpose;

     (3)  Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2016; and

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water, Land, and Agriculture and Economic Development, Environment, and Technology that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2424, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2424, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water, Land, and Agriculture and Economic Development, Environment, and Technology,

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair