STAND. COM. REP. NO. 916-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2644

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2644, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LITTLE FIRE ANTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to support the Hawaii Ant Lab in mitigating the effects of little fire ants in the State, including for the hiring of staff, community outreach, and operations.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United; Hawaii Pest Control Association; Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species; Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers; Hawaiʻi Food+ Policy; Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi; Oʻahu Invasive Species Committee; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources and Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the appropriation and number of additional positions to the Hawaii Ant Lab on Oahu to unspecified amounts.

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. 2644, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2644, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair