STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2877

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 229

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. 229 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VECTOR CONTROL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to assist the Vector Control Branch of the Department of Health in undertaking its mission of defending the public from new pest species and diseases.

More specifically, this measure appropriates moneys to establish twelve full-time equivalent (12.0 FTE) positions in the Vector Control Branch of the Department of Health.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation; Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species; Maui County Farm Bureau; OCC Legislative Priorities Committee, Democratic Party of Hawaii; one member of the Maui County Council; and four concerned individuals.

Your Committee finds that providing the Vector Control Branch of the Department of Health with additional personnel will increase the Branch's operations, helping to prevent new pest species and diseases from affecting public health in Hawaii.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting the appropriation in the amount of $741,996 for fiscal year 2017-2018;

(2) Changing the appropriation for fiscal year 2018-2019 from $613,876 to an unspecified amount; and

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, 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. 229, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 229, 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