STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3254

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 126

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.R. No. 126 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE TO SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE DETAILING A PLAN TO IMPROVE THE IMPORT PERMIT PROCESS FOR ALL AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Board of Agriculture to submit a report to the Legislature detailing a plan to improve the import permit process for all agricultural commodities.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee finds that the Plant Quarantine Branch of the Department of Agriculture is tasked with preventing the introduction and spread of harmful pests and diseases into the State by regulating domestic import, performing border inspections, facilitating post border detection and control of agricultural pests, and administration of the import permit program. Your Committee further finds that there are reports of several incidents in which those seeking to import aquaculture into the State have not received permits from the Department of Agriculture within the maximum time periods or within a reasonable amount of time after the expiration of the maximum time periods established in section 4-71-4.1, Hawaii Administrative Rules. This measure requests the Board of Agriculture to develop a plan to improve its own importation permit process for agricultural commodities to ensure that the process reflects current industry conditions, needs, and best practices.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 126 and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health.

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

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MIKE GABBARD, Chair