STAND. COM. REP. NO. 870

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 804

       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 S.B. No. 804 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HAWAII PESTICIDES LAW,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to increase the amount of pesticide use revolving fund moneys the Department of Agriculture can maintain to ensure the Department has the necessary funds available to carry out its statutory mandate.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Western Plant Health Association, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, CropLife America, Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, and one concerned individual.

     Your Committee finds that increasing the cap on the amount of moneys that can be maintained in the pesticide use revolving fund will increase the ability of the Department of Agriculture to conduct much needed training and outreach to ensure pesticides are not misused, and to meet the increased demands for assistance in the disposal of pesticides and pesticide containers, as well as supplement the Department's environmental studies, such as groundwater reviews and water sampling activities.

     Your Committee notes that section 149A-13.5(e), Hawaii Revised Statutes, currently allows the pesticide revolving fund to maintain up to $250,000 in unobligated, unencumbered, and unexpended funds.  As received by your Committee, this measure proposed to increase this ceiling to $1,000,000.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the amount of unobligated, unencumbered, or unexpended funds that can remain in the pesticide use revolving fund from $1,000,000 to an unspecified sum; and

     (2)  Changing the effective date to March 9, 2092, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

     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. 804, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 804, S.D. 1.

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

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair