STAND. COM. REP. NO. 571

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: H.B. No. 1548

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Water, Land, & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1548 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RAPID OHIA DEATH,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Land and Natural Resources to study and combat rapid ohia death in the State.

The Council Member representing District 4 of the County of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, The Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i, Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and an individual supported this measure. The Department of Agriculture and College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources of the University of Hawai‘i at Manoā supported the intent of this measure. The Department of Land and Natural Resources and Mayor of the County of Hawai‘i provided comments.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the amount appropriated for fiscal year 2019-2020 to an unspecified amount;

(2) Inserting language which would appropriate an unspecified amount of funds for fiscal year 2020-2021 to study and combat rapid ohia death in the State;

(3) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2100, to encourage further discussion; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

Should the Committee on Finance deliberate on this measure further, your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Water, Land, & Hawaiian Affairs respectfully request that it consider appropriating $1,000,000 each for fiscal years 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 to study and combat rapid ohia death in the State.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Water, Land, & Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1548, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1548, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Water, Land, & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________ RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair

____________________________ NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair