STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2032

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1548

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1548, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs 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 Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, Hawaii County Council, County of Hawaii Mayor's Office, Oahu County Democrats, Hawaii Farm Bureau, The Nature Conservancy, and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that ohia, a vital species in native watershed areas, makes up approximately eighty percent of the State's remaining native forests. Your Committee finds that rapid ohia death threatens thousands of acres of native forest and that combating this devastating fungal disease is critical to prevent its further spread throughout the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriations to unspecified amounts; and

(2) 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 H.B. No. 1548, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1548, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair