STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1271

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1548

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water and Land and Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred H.B. No. 1548, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

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

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, Office of the Mayor of the County of Hawai‘i, one member of the Hawai‘i County Council, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, The Nature Conservancy Hawai‘i, Hawaiian Affairs Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and eight individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.

Your Committees find that ohia makes up approximately eighty percent of the State's native forests and is a keystone species in native watershed areas. Your Committees recognize that rapid ohia death is devastating thousands of acres of native forest and that it is vital to take appropriate steps now to prevent the further spread of the fungus throughout the islands.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an appropriation amount of $2,003,000;

(2) Making it effective on July 1, 2019; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water and Land and Agriculture and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1548, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1548, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water and Land and Agriculture and Environment,

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair

________________________________ KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair