STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2710

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2758

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water and Land and Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2758 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BIOSECURITY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for operating expenses and for ten full-time equivalent (10.0 FTE) positions in the Department of Land and Natural Resources, as called for by the Hawaii Interagency Biosecurity Plan.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, and one individual.

Your Committees find that the Hawaii Interagency Biosecurity Plan is the primary guiding document for improving the prevention, detection, and control of invasive species in the State. A key objective of the plan is to enhance the capabilities of the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife, to detect and control invasive species in the State's most valuable protected areas, including forest reserves, wildlife sanctuaries, and natural area reserves.

Your Committees further find that the section of the plan entitled "Postborder Technology, Infrastructure, and Staffing" describes a goal of adding nine positions each biennium for the next five biennia to meet the estimated staffing needs of the Division of Forestry and Wildlife. The positions called for in section 1.10 of the plan include two positions each for the islands of Kauai, Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii, and one position based on the island of Molokai. Section 1.8 of the report also calls for an additional position based in the administrative office of the Division of Forestry and Wildlife to assist with statewide forest pathology coordination. Collectively, these positions would improve the State's ability to detect and control rapid ohia death and other invasive species in protected sanctuaries and reserves. Accordingly, this measure will appropriate funds for these positions to protect the State's resources, agriculture, and health and to execute the Hawaii Interagency Biosecurity Plan.

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 S.B. No. 2758 and recommend that it pass Second Reading 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