CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 36

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 140

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir and Madam:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 140, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Prohibit the importation of firewood into the State from another state and the intrastate transportation or sale of firewood unless the firewood is heat-treated and labeled or the importation, transportation, or sale is authorized by the Department of Agriculture; and

(2) Require persons who import firewood into the State to maintain, and make available on request, records of imports for at least two years.

Your Committee on Conference finds that invasive species and pathogens harbored in or on imported firewood pose a serious threat to Hawaii's agricultural economy and fragile ecosystems. Your Committee on Conference notes that the State currently lacks regulations requiring the treatment of imported firewood. This measure will help prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species by requiring imported firewood to be properly treated and labeled before it enters the State.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Applying the heat-treatment requirements only to imported firewood, rather than firewood imported into the State from another state or transported or sold within the State;

(2) Clarifying that importation of firewood into the State shall be prohibited unless the firewood is certified as heat-treated and labeled accordingly or the importation is authorized and permitted by the Department of Agriculture before importation;

(3) Clarifying imported firewood labeling requirements;

(4) Amending section 1 to reflect its amended purpose;

(5) Making it effective upon its approval; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 140, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 140, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ KIRSTIN KAHALOA Co-Chair	____________________________ MIKE GABBARD Chair
____________________________ SCOT Z. MATAYOSHI Co-Chair	____________________________ JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE Co-Chair