STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 1638-22
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2022
RE: H.C.R. No. 24
Honorable Scott K. Saiki
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-First State Legislature
Regular Session of 2022
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 24 entitled:
"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO SUBMIT A REPORT ON PESTICIDE INSPECTIONS CONDUCTED WITHIN THE PAST FIVE YEARS AND STRENGTHEN STATEWIDE ENFORCEMENT OF RESTRICTED USE PESTICIDE VIOLATIONS,"
begs leave to report as follows:
Your
Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Hawai‘i SEED, Hawai‘i Alliance for Progressive
Action, and ten individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the
Department of Agriculture.
Your Committee finds that the failure to adhere to pesticide use instructions poses
significant risks to public health and the environment. Despite these risks,
pesticides have been misused and continue to be misused within the State, as
evidenced by settlements reached with and fines levied by the United States
Environmental Protection Agency, as well as the repeated failure of agribusiness
operations on O‘ahu and Kaua‘i
to properly implement worker protection standards. Your Committee further finds
that a 2016 study prepared by an independent Joint Fact Finding Study Group recommended
additional pesticide inspections, reporting, and legal compliance reviews. Act
45, Session Laws of Hawai‘i 2018, was subsequently passed, which
established additional state requirements, restrictions, and prohibitions
related to restricted use pesticides.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 24 and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture,
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____________________________ MARK J. HASHEM, Chair |
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