STAND. COM. REP. NO. 831

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1304

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1304, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PESTICIDE DRIFT MONITORING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate moneys to the Department of Agriculture for the continuation of the statewide pesticide drift monitoring study.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, University of Hawaii System, County of Maui, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Hawaii Farmers Union, Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that the Department of Agriculture has initiated a study on pesticide drift for schools statewide. Your Committee further finds that additional study of pesticide applications occurring near schools is needed to ensure Hawaii's children are not being impacted by off-target pesticide drift. Accordingly, this measure provides funding for the continuation of these efforts.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the study to comply with United States Environmental Protection Agency regulations;

(2) Adding a deadline for the study's conclusion and requiring a report to the Legislature;

(3) Changing the appropriations from $323,484 for fiscal year 2025-2026 and $311,903 for fiscal year 2026-2027 to unspecified amounts, respectively; and

(4) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1304, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1304, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair