STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1349

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 186

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 186, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COFFEE BERRY BORER BEETLE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to support ongoing efforts to control the coffee berry borer infestation in Hawaii's coffee crops.

     More specifically, this measure appropriates funds for, and extends by two years the sunset date of, the pesticide subsidy program established under Act 105, Session Laws of Hawaii 2014.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Hawaii Invasive Species Council; Office of the Mayor, County of Hawaii; Hawaii Coffee Company, Mr. Bean Kona Coffee; Hawaii Coffee Association; Hawaii Farm Bureau; ILWU Local 142; and eleven individuals.

     Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from one individual.

     Your Committee finds that Act 105, Session Laws of Hawaii 2014, appropriated funds for the development and implementation of a pesticide subsidy program to assist coffee growers with offsetting the cost of purchasing pesticides containing Beauveria bassiana.  Your Committee notes that it took longer than anticipated for Act 105 to be implemented, and thus the assistance only became available from the State at the end of 2016, more than two years later than anticipated.  Your Committee finds that it is necessary to extend the sunset date of the pesticide subsidy program for two years to ensure the program remains available to assist coffee growers, and can remain in effect for the number of years that was intended by Act 105.

     Your Committee has amended this measure to accurately reflect the existing punctuation in the printed version of Act 105, Session Laws of Hawaii 2014.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 186, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 186, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair