STAND. COM. REP. NO.  633

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 1339

      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 Agriculture and Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 1339 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to increase efforts and resources in addressing invasive species in the State by restructuring the Hawaii Invasive Species Council into a new entity, the Hawaii Invasive Species Authority, attached administratively to the Department of Agriculture.

The Department of Agriculture, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Transportation, University of Hawaii, Hawaii Green Growth, Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, Conservation Council for Hawaii, Big Island Invasive Species Committee, Nature Conservancy, Local Food Coalition, Hawaii Farm Bureau, and three concerned individuals supported this measure.  Animal Rights Hawaii and a concerned individual opposed this measure.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the appropriations into unspecified amounts; and

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 31, 2150, to encourage further discussion.

     Should the Committee on Finance deliberate this measure further, your Committee on Agriculture respectfully requests that it consider appropriating:

     (1)  $500,000 for the hiring of necessary staff and other expenses of the Hawaii Invasive Species Authority; and

     (2)  $10,000,000 for interagency projects and research related to invasive species conducted pursuant to this measure and as directed by the Hawaii Invasive Species Authority.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Energy & Environmental Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1339, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1339, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________ CHRIS LEE, Chair

____________________________ RICHARD P. CREAGAN, Chair