STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1590

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 904

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

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. 904, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to improve the ability of the Hawaii Invasive Species Council to respond to newly detected invasive species threats.

     Specifically, this measure:

(1)  Establishes the invasive species rapid response special fund;

(2)  Authorizes the Hawaii Invasive Species Council to submit a request to the Governor to declare that there is an invasive species emergency;

(3)  Authorizes the Hawaii Invasive Species Council to expend funds from the invasive species rapid response special fund following an invasive species emergency declaration by the Governor; and

(4)  Appropriates general funds to be deposited into the special fund for invasive species rapid response efforts.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Invasive Species Council, Mayor of Hawaii County, Little Fire Ant HUI, Conservation Council for Hawai‘i, Big Island Invasive Species Committee, The Nature Conservancy, Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, and one individual.

     Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and State Procurement Office.

     Your Committee finds that the State's budget process allocates funding for departmental programs and interagency projects at the beginning of each fiscal year.  If an invasive species threat arises after the fiscal year begins, there may not be sufficient funds available to address it.  Your Committee further finds that establishing a special fund to provide funding necessary to respond to invasive species threats at the time of detection will permit the State to respond when the likelihood of success is the highest and the cost of eradication is the lowest.

     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. 904, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair