CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 154-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2619

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 2619, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL BIOSECURITY,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Agriculture for programs and positions in agricultural biosecurity.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting a preamble related to the Department of Agriculture's role in the control and eradication of invasive species in the State;

(2) Requiring the Department of Agriculture to:

(A) Lead and coordinate the State's invasive pest control and eradication biosecurity efforts, including engaging in memorandums of understanding with interagency partners and private organizations;

(B) In conjunction with certain agencies and entities, identify best practices for the treatment of certain pests;

(C) Post certain data and information on its website;

(D) Document certain geographic information system database information;

(E) Provide notice to the Department's Pesticides Branch prior to usage of pesticides in the course of controlling pests;

(F) Include certain information related to advancing the State's invasive pest control and eradication biosecurity efforts in its annual report to the Legislature; and

(G) Report on programs and positions funded by this measure; report on expenditures from and uses of the Pest Inspection, Quarantine, and Eradication Fund to facilitate the program's conversion to general funds; and document contracts for invasive species response;

(3) Inserting an appropriation amount of $19,780,660 to the Department of Agriculture for programs and positions in agricultural biosecurity, amending the list of programs and positions, and exempting certain positions from civil service;

(4) Inserting language that appropriates $200,000 to the counties as a grant-in-aid, subject to a county match, for the implementation of feral chicken control programs;

(5) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2024; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2619, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2619, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ MIKE GABBARD Chair	____________________________ CEDRIC ASUEGA GATES Co-Chair
____________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ Co-Chair	____________________________ KYLE T. YAMASHITA Co-Chair