STAND. COM. REP. NO. 667

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 776

       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 S.B. No. 776, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to recast the Hawaii Invasive Species Council as the Hawaii Invasive Species Authority and to provide the new entity with expanded authority.

     Specifically, this measure:

(1)  Recasts the Hawaii Invasive Species Council as the Hawaii Invasive Species Authority within the Department of Agriculture for administrative purposes;

(2)  Expands the membership of the governing board;

(3)  Requires the Hawaii Invasive Species Authority to coordinate the implementation of the Hawaii interagency biosecurity plan; and

(4)  Appropriates funds for the operation of the Hawaii Invasive Species Authority and for invasive species programs.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the University of Hawaii System, the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Neighborhood Cats, Local Food Coalition, the Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, the Conservation Council for Hawaii, Hawaii Cattlemens Council, Hawaii Green Growth, The Nature Conservancy, and nine individuals.

     Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from the Best Friends Animal Society, For Forgotten Felines, Animal Rights Hawaii, and four individuals.

     The Department of the Attorney General and the Hawaii Farm Bureau submitted comments on this measure.

     Your Committee finds that invasive species can have a devastating impact on Hawaii's native wildlife and agricultural industry.  Your Committee further finds that the establishment of the Hawaii Invasive Species Authority will place the management and control of invasive species under a single entity with dedicated staff and resources.  Your Committee believes that this will help to better coordinate the efforts of the Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Department of Agriculture to combat invasive species and protect the environment of Hawaii.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the amount appropriated for positions and other operating expenditures of the Hawaii Invasive Species Authority for fiscal years 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 from $500,000 to an unspecified amount;

(2) Changing the amount appropriated for invasive species programs and projects for fiscal years 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 from $10,000,000 to an unspecified amount;

(3) Changing the effective date to March 9, 2092, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(4) Making a technical nonsubstantive amendment to correctly reference the National Invasive Species Council.

     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 S.B. No. 776, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 776, S.D. 2.

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

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair