STAND. COM. REP. NO. 642

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 1497

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. 1497 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require and appropriate funds for the Department of Agriculture to develop an online reporting tool to document applications of restricted use pesticides; and

(2) Appropriate funds to convert temporary Environmental Health Specialist III positions into permanent positions.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Hawaiʻi Reef and Ocean Coalition; Hawaiʻi Alliance for Progressive Action; and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Crop Improvement Association.

Your Committee finds that accurate and efficient reporting of restricted use pesticide applications is essential for ensuring regulatory compliance and protecting public health and the environment. While existing laws require users to submit annual reports on restricted use pesticide usage, the Department of Agriculture has faced challenges in fully implementing an online reporting system due to staffing instability. This measure addresses these issues by establishing and appropriating funds for a permanent online reporting system, ensuring users have a streamlined and consistent method for submitting data. Additionally, converting temporary positions to permanent status will provide stability within the Department's Pesticides Branch, allowing for proper outreach and education to facilitate full implementation of the reporting tool.

Your Committee notes the suggestion to require restricted use pesticide usage to be reported in consistent units of measurement.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the number of authorized positions to unspecified numbers;

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

(3) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider converting two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) temporary Environmental Health Specialist III positions into two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) permanent Environmental Health Specialist III positions.

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. 1497, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1497, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

KIRSTIN KAHALOA, Chair