STAND. COM. REP. NO. 708

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 755

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water & Land and Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 755 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AQUATIC NUISANCE SPECIES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize the Department of Land and Natural Resources to adopt rules to prevent and respond to the introduction of aquatic nuisance species from incidental discharges of a vessel other than ballast water and hull fouling;

(2) Contemplate the relationship between the federal Vessel Incidental Discharge Act of 2018, as amended, and state law;

(3) Provide penalties that will deter violations and prevent the introduction of aquatic nuisance species; and

(4) Update outdated terminology.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, and one individual.

Your Committees find that aquatic nuisance species can have significant adverse impacts on Hawaii's economy, public health, and ecosystem. Particularly, Hawaii's native aquatic species are vulnerable to the impacts of aquatic nuisance species due to a high rate of endemism. This measure ensures that the Department of Land and Natural Resources will have the authority to address incidental discharges other than ballast water and hull fouling in order to minimize the introduction of new species, which could have devastating effects on the State's coral reef and other aquatic species.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water & Land and Energy & Environmental Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 755, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 755, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water & Land and Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________ NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair

____________________________ LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair