STAND. COM. REP. NO.  336

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 889

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 889 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PESTICIDES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to protect the environment and public safety by:

     (1)  Increasing the pesticide licensing fee and requiring the annual renewal of the license;

     (2)  Amending authorized uses for moneys in the Pesticide Use Revolving Fund;

     (3)  Requiring a memorandum of understanding between the Department of Agriculture (Department) and the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) regarding the expenditure of funds from the Pesticide Use Revolving Fund and a report to the Legislature;

     (4)  Establishing an environmental toxicologist position within the Department and a pesticide extension specialist, through a contract with the Department, within the CTAHR; and

     (5)  Appropriating funds out of the Pesticide Use Revolving Fund for specific purposes.

GMO Free Maui; Hawaii Farm Bureau; GMO Free Kauai; Hawaii Center for Food Safety; Ohana o Kauai; CropLife America; Hawaii Crop Improvement Association; Alexander & Baldwin, Inc.; Dow Agroscience; DuPont Pioneer; Western Plant Health Association; Monsanto; and numerous concerned individuals supported this measure.  Ponoholo Ranch Limited opposed this measure.  The Department of Agriculture, and Consumer Specialty Products Association offered comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Replacing the following fiscal biennium 2017-2019 amounts appropriated out of the Pesticide Use Revolving Fund with unspecified amounts to be expended by the Department:

          (A)  $200,000 for operating expenses and the position of environmental toxicologist;

          (B)  $200,000 for operating expenses and the position of a pesticide extension specialist;

          (C)  $25,000 for registration and technical review;

          (D)  $25,000 for certification activities, including certification of restricted use pesticides or experimental use pesticides;

          (E)  $300,000 for compliance monitoring expenses;

          (F)  $750,000 for the development of an electronic data collection system;

          (G)  $400,000 for the development of pesticide-related educational materials;

          (H)  $300,000 to conduct demonstration trials in conjunction with the CTAHR cooperative extension service agents to develop integrated management and drift management technologies; and

          (I)  $500,000 for the Pesticide Disposal Program; and

     (2)  Changing its effective date to July 31, 2150, to promote further discussion.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 889, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 889, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture,

____________________________

RICHARD P. CREAGAN, Chair