STAND. COM. REP. NO.  93-16

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2542

      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. 2542 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE AUDITOR,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to enhance the State's efforts to ensure biosecurity and reduce the introduction of invasive species by requiring the Auditor to conduct a financial and performance audit of the duties and facilities of the Plant Quarantine Branch (Branch) of the Department of Agriculture, including the Branch's Biosecurity Program and related programs, to facilitate:

 

(1)  The transfer of the Branch to the Department of Transportation; and

 

(2)  The reestablishment of the Branch as a division within the Department of Transportation to regulate the transportation modes and impose adequate quarantine and biosecurity measures at ports of entry by January 1, 2018.

 

     The Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association supported this measure.  The Department of Agriculture, Department of Transportation, and Hawaii Cattlemen's Council opposed this measure.  The Hawaii Farm Bureau submitted comments on this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting from the scope of the Auditor's audit consideration of the transfer of the Plant Quarantine Branch to, and reestablishment of the Branch as a division of the Department of Transportation; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for consistency, clarity, and style.

 

     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. 2542, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2542, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Legislative Management.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

CLIFT TSUJI, Chair