STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1854

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: H.R. No. 30

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 Agriculture and Tourism & International Affairs, to which was referred H.R. No. 30 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY TO REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE ON THE PROCESSING OF STATE OF HAWAII PLANT AND ANIMAL DECLARATION FORMS, INCLUDING THE COSTS INVOLVED, AND CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO REVIEW THE EFFICACY OF SUCH FORMS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to protect Hawaii's environment from the detrimental impacts of prohibited plants and animals that are imported into the State by:

(1) Requesting the Department of Agriculture (DOA) and Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA) to submit a report to the Legislature relating to the State of Hawaii Plant and Animal Declaration Form (Declaration Form), including the information obtained, the processing and use of data collected, cost-benefit analysis, level of compliance, penalties, and alternatives to the Declaration Form; and

(2) Requesting DOA, in collaboration with HTA, to convene a task force to review the efficacy of the Declaration Form, including its relevance and usefulness, possible improvements, and methods to increase completion of the Declaration Form by passengers.

The Hawaii Farm Bureau supported this measure. The Department of Land and Natural Resources, DOA, Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism, and HTA submitted comments on this measure.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Amending its title to read:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY TO REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE ON THE PROCESSING OF STATE OF HAWAII PLANT AND ANIMAL DECLARATION FORMS, INCLUDING THE COSTS INVOLVED.";

(2) Increasing the scope of the report to the Legislature by including the relevance and usefulness of the data relating to the visitor and returning-resident component of the Declaration Form;

(3) Deleting the request to establish a task force to review the efficacy of the Declaration Form; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Tourism & International Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 30, as amended herein, and recommend that it be referred to your Committee on Finance, in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 30, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Tourism & International Affairs,

____________________________ RICHARD H.K. ONISHI, Chair

____________________________ RICHARD P. CREAGAN, Chair