STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1255

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 201

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 Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred H.B. No. 201, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INVASIVE SPECIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify that authorized agents may enter private property to control and eradicate invasive species under certain circumstances.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Aha Moku Advisory Committee, County of Hawai‘i Office of the Mayor, Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, Hawaiian Electric Companies, Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, Maui Chamber of Commerce, and four individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee finds that it is critically important to address new invasive pest species as soon as they are detected. Recent invasive pest species projects have included control of the little fire ant and coqui frog on Kauai, Maui, and Oahu; mongoose on Kauai; myoporum thrips on Oahu; and banana bunchy top virus on Molokai.

Your Committee recognizes that it can be challenging to positively confirm the presence of an invasive species on private property prior to obtaining access to that property. This measure would ameliorate the issue of positive identification of invasive species by allowing state departments that are members of the Invasive Species Council, counties, and their employees and authorized agents to enter private property to confirm the presence of an invasive species, and perform a control action as necessary, upon a reasonable suspicion of the presence of an invasive species on the private property.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Amending the purpose section to reflect that this measure is not intended to enable entry onto private property to eradicate non-prohibited pet animals; and

(2) Making it effective on July 1, 2019.

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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 201, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 201, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

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MIKE GABBARD, Chair