STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1222-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: S.B. No. 2574

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 2574 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to enable the State to use biological controls to combat invasive species in Hawaii by authorizing the issuance of $180,000 in general obligation bonds for planning for a biological control containment facility on the island of Oahu.

The Department of Agriculture, Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc., Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and Big Island Invasive Species Committee supported this measure. The Department of Land and Natural Resources submitted comments on this measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the amount of the authorized general obligation bonds to an unspecified sum; and

(2) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2150, to encourage further discussion.

Should your Committee on Finance deliberate on this matter further, your Committee on Agriculture respectfully requests that it consider authorizing the issuance of general obligation bonds in the amount of $180,000 for planning for a biological control containment facility on the island of Oahu.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2574, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2574, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

RICHARD P. CREAGAN, Chair