STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2619

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2124

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 Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2124 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 support the efforts of the Hawaii Ant Lab of the Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit of the University of Hawaii to mitigate the little fire ant threat in Hawaii.

More specifically, this measure appropriates moneys to the University of Hawaii to:

(1) Establish seven full-time equivalent (7.0 FTE) positions within the Hawaii Ant Lab of the Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit; and

(2) Purchase equipment for the Lab's operations and efforts to mitigate the little fire ant threat in Hawaii.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Department of Agriculture, the Office of the Mayor of the County of Hawaii, two members of the Hawaii County Council, the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Little Fire Ant HUI, Ka Ohana O Na Pua, the OCC Legislative Priorities Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and eighteen concerned individuals.

Your Committee finds that the little fire ant poses a serious threat to human health and agriculture in the State. Your Committee recognizes the importance of efforts by the Hawaii Ant Lab of the Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit to control and eradicate the little fire ant.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation from $750,000 to an unspecified amount;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(3) Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

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. 2124, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2124, S.D. 1.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair