STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1848-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 2560

S.D. 2

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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2560, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INVASIVE SPECIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide that each lease that the Department of Agriculture enters into, renews, or extends shall authorize the Department to:

(1) Enter the leased premises with prior notification to survey for, identify, investigate, control, or eradicate pests;

(2) Work cooperatively with a lessee to seek funding and develop a plan to maintain control of any pests on the leased premises; and

(3) Terminate the lease if the lessee refuses entry to the Department or refuses to work cooperatively with the Department toward the control or eradication of pests.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Carol Kwan Consulting LLC. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species; Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; and Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.

Your Committee finds that this measure will codify mandatory lease provisions related to the control and eradication of pests that must be included in future leases approved by the Department of Agriculture. Your Committee notes that this measure will not impact existing lessees.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Amending the definition of "pest" so that it matches the definition used in the chapter related to plant and non-domestic animal quarantine and microorganism import; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2560, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2560, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair