STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2133

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2124

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2124 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Hawaii Ant Lab of the Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit of the University of Hawaii, to support mitigation of the little fire ant.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Department of Agriculture; Office of the Mayor of the County of Hawaii, Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Ka Ohana O Na Pua; Donkey Mill Art Center; O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; and nine individuals.

Your Committees find that the little fire ant, Wasmannia auropunctata, threatens native biodiversity, alters tropical ecosystems, impairs human health, impedes tourism, diminishes agricultural productivity, mars horticultural sales, and accordingly ranks among the world's worst invasive species. Within the State, the County of Hawaii has been affected most by the little fire ant. Your Committees therefore support all efforts to mitigate and eradicate the little fire ant, especially in the West Hawaii region.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2124 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Higher Education,

________________________________ KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair