CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 173

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2017

RE:    H.B. No. 1325

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

       C.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 1325, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BIOSECURITY,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this bill is to support the State's biosecurity program by:

     (1)  Clarifying the Department of Agriculture's authority to expend funds from multiple sources for the biosecurity program;

     (2)  Requiring the Department of Agriculture to establish parameters and construction requirements for biosecurity facilities that provide for and ensure the safety of agricultural and food commodities consumed by Hawaii residents; and

     (3)  Appropriating funds to enable the Department of Agriculture to implement the biosecurity program, including import replacement of high-risk crops, development of pest-management practices and quarantine-treatment options, and improved productivity in inspection capacity.

     After careful consideration, your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Appropriating $1,200,000 for each year of fiscal biennium 2017-2019 for the biosecurity program, with specific allocations for various components of the program;

     (2)  Requiring the Department of Agriculture to submit to the Legislature, no later than 30 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2018, a report on its progress with respect to the biosecurity program; and

     (3)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2017.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1325, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1325, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ MIKE GABBARD Chair	____________________________ RICHARD P. CREAGAN Co-Chair
____________________________ J. KALANI ENGLISH Co-Chair	____________________________ ROY M. TAKUMI Co-Chair
	____________________________ KYLE T. YAMASHITA Co-Chair