STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2617

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2569

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. 2569 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PESTICIDES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to expand the membership composition and broaden the mission of the Pesticide Advisory Committee.

Specifically, this measure:

(1) Expands the membership of the Pesticide Advisory Committee to include a representative from the Department of Education, each county mayor's office, Hawaii Farmers Union United, a medical expert, and a non-governmental organization scientist; and

(2) Expands the duties of the Pesticide Advisory Committee to include:

(A) Establishing state standards for low-level, continuous exposures to pesticides;

(B) Recommending specific changes to the State's pesticide laws and regulations to the Legislature;

(C) Expanding Kauai's agricultural good neighbor program statewide; and

(D) Establishing a comprehensive buffer zone policy for the State.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Teachers Association, Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and two individuals.

Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, Western Plant Health Association, and Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that the Joint Fact Finding Group created by the Department of Agriculture and the County of Kauai to address environmental and public health questions related to large-scale use of pesticides on Kauai released a report of its findings and recommendations in May 2016. Your Committee finds that this measure implements the Joint Fact Finding Group's recommendation to expand the membership composition and broaden the mission of the Pesticide Advisory Committee.

Your Committee has amended this measure by 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. 2569, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2569, 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