STAND. COM. REP. NO. 850

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 237

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 237, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Agriculture for the mitigation and control of the two-lined spittlebug and to fund recovery efforts.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawai‘i System; Big Island Invasive Species Committee; Hawaii Farm Bureau; McCandless Ranch; Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii; Ponoholo Ranch Limited; Larry Jefts Farms, LLC; Hawaii Meats LLC; Ulupono Initiative; Ulupalakua Ranch; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; Local Food Coalition; Haleakala Ranch; Peter De Luz Ranch, LLC; New Island Feed, Inc.; Kealia Ranch; Rocker G Livestock; Maui Cattlemen's Association; Parker Ranch, Inc.; and ten individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 237, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 237, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair