STAND. COM. REP. NO. 83

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 1449

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems, to which was referred H.B. No. 1449 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PLANT CARE COMPONENTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize the Department of Agriculture to adopt rules and establishes administrative penalties to establish and enforce the Plant Care Component Program; and

(2) Appropriate funds for the Plant Care Component Program and certain positions.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Hawaii Invasive Species Council; Hawai‘i Farmers Union; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; and Hawai‘i Food+ Policy.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii's agricultural and natural ecosystems are highly vulnerable to invasive pests and plant diseases, which can threaten local food production, biodiversity, and forest health. Act 197, Session Laws of Hawaii 2024, took an important step in addressing this issue by requiring the Department of Agriculture to certify the treatment of plant care components such as wood chips, compost, and filter socks. However, without clear enforcement mechanisms and sufficient resources, the risk of untreated or improperly treated materials spreading harmful pests persists. This measure strengthens the existing program by authorizing the Department of Agriculture to adopt rules and administrative penalties and providing additional resources. By investing in regulatory oversight, this measure not only protects the State's agricultural industry and forests, but also supports food security, reduces dependence on imported goods, and promotes long-term sustainability.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying the conditions under which a person may distribute within the State a plant care component that originated outside the State;

(2) Adding definitions for "board" and "person";

(3) Clarifying the definition of "plant care component" or "component";

(4) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee respectfully respects your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $471,168 for the implementation and performance of the Plant Care Component Program, including the establishment of one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) permanent civil service Plant Quarantine Inspector IV position and seven full-time equivalent (7.0 FTE) permanent civil service Plant Quarantine Inspector III positions within the Department of Agriculture's Plant Industry Division, Plant Quarantine Branch.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1449, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1449, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems,

____________________________

KIRSTIN KAHALOA, Chair