STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2300

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2909

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2909 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PLANT QUARANTINE FACILITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to provide a certification process for privately-owned and operated plant quarantine facilities.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Kauai Coffee Company, LLC; Synergistic Hawaii Agriculture Council; Hala Tree Coffee; Island Sun Coffee; Maui Coffee Association; Rusty's Hawaiian, LLC; Hawaii Coffee Growers Association; Hawaii Coffee Association; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; and six individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Kona Coffee Farmers Association and Rancho Aloha.

Your Committee finds that existing state-owned quarantine facilities have insufficient capacity to mitigate the threat of invasive diseases and species. Allowing privately-owned and operated facilities to perform the functions of state-owned facilities would reduce stress on state-owned facilities. This measure increases the State's plant quarantine capacity by providing a permitting process for privately-owned and operated plant quarantine facilities. Your Committee notes the testimony submitted by the Department of Agriculture expressing the concern that the use of privately-owned and operated facilities may create an inherently higher risk of invasive species.

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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2909 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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MIKE GABBARD, Chair