STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3320

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1769

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water and Land and Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred H.B. No. 1769, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RAPID OHIA DEATH,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Land and Natural Resources to study and combat rapid ohia death in the State.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, University of Hawai‘i System, Hawaii State Aha Moku, Center for Biological Diversity, Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, Hawai‘i Forest Industry Association, Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, and eight individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committees find that rapid ohia death has killed over a million ohia trees on Hawaii Island and threatens forests on all of the main Hawaiian Islands. Ohia is the State's most common tree, comprising eighty percent of remaining native forests, and provides important habitats for other plants and animals. Ohia forests have been treasured by Hawaiians for centuries for many practical and cultural uses, including hula, where ohia is the kinolau of important, sacred Hawaiian gods.

However, conditions such as rapid ohia death continue to threaten ohia forests across the State. Since its discovery, there has never been a successful eradication of a fungal disease in natural areas. In addition to rapid ohia death, ohia forests are also threatened by invasive weeds that threaten the ability of ohia forests to thrive. While researchers have investigated two fungi associated with rapid ohia death and have developed recommendations for managing the disease, further study is needed to fully understand the complex relationships of the disease with introduced beetles, feral animals, storm events, and human activity.

Your Committees have amended this measure by inserting an effective date of July 1, 2022.

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 H.B. No. 1769, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1769, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, 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

________________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair