STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1207

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 20

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 S.C.R. No. 20 entitled:

"SENATE 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, AND CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO REVIEW THE EFFICACY OF SUCH FORMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Agriculture and the Hawaii Tourism Authority to report to the Legislature on the processing of the State of Hawaii plant and animal declaration forms, including the costs involved, and to convene a task force to review the efficacy of these declaration forms.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Tourism Authority, Department of Land and Natural Resources, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and Hawai‘i Farm Bureau. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture and Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

Your Committee finds that all passengers, upon arrival to Hawaii, must complete a state plant and animal declaration form that requests information regarding the passengers' visitor or resident status and requires information regarding their importation of any plants, including seeds, and animals. Your Committee further finds that the cost-effectiveness of processing and gleaning information from the plant and animal declaration forms at the Department of Agriculture and the Hawaii Tourism Authority can be improved.

Your Committee also finds that adding or revising questions on, or gaining additional insight from, the existing declaration forms can lead to enhanced enforcement of plant and animal imports to further protect Hawaii from invasive species.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying and correcting several findings related to the information required to be reported on the declaration forms, when inspections of passengers' bags are conducted, and other means used to regulate the importation of plants and animals into Hawaii;

(2) Adding that the Department of Agriculture Plant Quarantine Branch inspects regulated commodities at all major ports of entry;

(3) Adding one representative of the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to the task force; and

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

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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 20, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 20, S.D. 1.

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

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MIKE GABBARD, Chair