STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2420

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2799

       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 Economic Development, Environment, and Technology and Water, Land, and Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 2799 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to restructure the Hawaii Invasive Species Council into a new entity, the Hawaii Invasive Species Authority, to be administratively attached to the Department of Agriculture.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Transportation, Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Invasive Species Council, Conservation Council for Hawai‘i, Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, O‘ahu Invasive Species Committee, Kaua‘i Invasive Species Committee, The Nature Conservancy, and two individuals.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from Animal Rights Hawai‘i.

     Your Committees find that the invasion of Hawaii by insects, disease-bearing organisms, snakes, weeds, and other pests is the single greatest threat to Hawaii's economy and natural environment and to the health and lifestyle of Hawaii's people.  In 2003, the Legislature created the Hawaii Invasive Species Council, an interagency board mandated to provide policy-level direction and coordination on invasive species issues, co-chaired by the Chairpersons of the Board of Land and Natural Resources and the Board of Agriculture.  The authorizing legislation for the council did not create staff positions or a revenue source.  Your Committees further find that despite many successes, mitigation of invasive species threats and impacts often remains fragmented between agencies and is insufficiently supported through interagency data collection and management, public pest reporting, interagency response coordination, and statewide public outreach.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting language to require the Hawaii Invasive Species Authority to adopt a list of invasive species by rule pursuant to chapter 91; and

     (2)  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 Economic Development, Environment, and Technology and Water, Land, and Agriculture that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2799, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2799, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair