STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1925

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.C.R. No. 130

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Higher Education, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 130, H.D. 1, entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE STATE, COUNTIES, AND OTHER RELEVANT AGENCIES TO PROVIDE INCREASED AND SUSTAINED FUNDING TO THE INVASIVE SPECIES COMMITTEES AND HAWAIʻI ANT LAB WITHIN THE PACIFIC COOPERATIVE STUDIES UNIT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘I AT MĀNOA,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the State, counties, and other relevant agencies to provide increased and sustained funding to the Invasive Species Committees and Hawaii Ant Lab within the Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit of the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaiʻi System, Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, Hawaii Ant Lab, Maui Invasive Species Committee, Big Island Invasive Species Committee, and one individual.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committees find that, although the Invasive Species Committees and Hawaii Ant Lab within the Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit of the University of Hawaii at Manoa play a critical role in managing and preventing the spread of invasive species throughout the State, the funding that these organizations rely on to operate is limited. This measure aims to strengthen the ability of the Invasive Species Committees and Hawaii Ant Lab to combat the growing threat of invasive species and protect the ecosystems and economy of the State.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Urging Congress, rather than the State, to provide increased and sustained funding to the Invasive Species Committees and Hawaii Ant Lab;

(2) Inserting language urging the counties, Invasive Species Committees, and Hawaii Ant Lab to seek federal grants to support their efforts to prevent and respond to the spread of invasive species in the State;

(3) Amending its title accordingly; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 130, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 130, H.D. 1, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Higher Education,

________________________________ DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair