STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3795

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.C.R. No. 75

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 75 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO ESTABLISH A KAUAI INVASIVE SPECIES TASK FORCE TO STUDY THE ISSUES OF INVASIVE ANIMALS IN KAUAI,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Agriculture to establish a Kauai Invasive Species Task Force that will study the issues and impacts of invasive animals in Kauai and recommend a comprehensive plan that addresses those issues.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from Animal Rights Hawai‘i. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Land and Natural Resources, and Hawai‘i Farm Bureau.

Your Committee finds that the introduction of invasive species across the State is problematic for not only agriculture but also for human health, tourism, watersheds, marine resources, and native species. Addressing invasive species is a complex task due to the great range of destructive animals present in Hawaii, including feral goats, pigs, deer, wild birds, rats, mollusks, mosquitos, mongoose, fire ants, beetles, and other freshwater and marine species. Your Committee further finds that farmers who experience crop damage from non-native animals on private property may engage in the Department of Land and Natural Resources' process to obtain wildlife control permits. Under chapter 124‑7, Hawaii Administrative Rules, permits may be issued for the control of game birds, game mammals, introduced wildlife, and introduced wild birds causing damage to agricultural crops. Your Committee finds that as an alternative to creating a formal task force, the Department of Agriculture, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Kauai Hunting Association, and Kauai County Farm Bureau should work together to issue control permits where needed and make recommendations to address other invasive animal issues.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have requested the Department of Agriculture to establish a Kauai Invasive Species Task Force and submit a report to the Legislature, and replacing it with language urging state agencies to collaborate with farmers and other landowners and requesting the Department of Agriculture, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Kauai Hunting Association, and Kauai County Farm Bureau, and others chosen by the four entities, to collaborate to recommend solutions to mitigate the impacts of invasive animals in Kauai;

(2) Requesting that the collaborators respond to requests from anyone on Kauai who is impacted by invasive animals;

(3) Requesting that the collaborators develop strategies to issue appropriate wildlife control permits or conduct other strategic population management utilizing expertise of local hunters;

(4) Including findings that the Department of Land and Natural Resources has a permit process for the control of nuisance animals;

(5) Amending the title to reflect the amended purpose; and

(6) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 75, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 75, S.D. 1.

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

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MIKE GABBARD, Chair