STAND. COM. REP. NO.  241

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 1247

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 1247 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RAPID OHIA DEATH,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Agriculture for research on the prevention and mitigation of Rapid Ohia Death.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, Office of Hawaiian Affairs Beneficiary Advocacy and Empowerment Committee, University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, Hawaii Farmers Union United, Conservation Council for Hawaii, Democratic Party of Hawaii, Aina Ho'okupu o Kilauea, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, and numerous individuals supported this measure.   

     Your Committees have amended this measure by changing the effective date to January 28, 2081, to encourage further discussion.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Agriculture that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1247, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1247, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Agriculture,

____________________________ RICHARD P. CREAGAN, Chair

____________________________ CHRIS LEE, Chair