STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1456

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 252

S.D. 2

H.D. 2

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 252, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Clarify that the importation of any pest or material infested or infected with an insect or other animal, disease, or pest is prohibited;

(2) Authorize the Department of Agriculture to administratively inspect, without good cause, any article imported or moved into the State from the continental United States or between the Hawaiian Islands;

(3) Prohibit the sale, barter, or donation of material that is a pest or is infested with a pest;

(4) Authorize the Department of Agriculture to compel the quarantine, treatment, or destruction of certain materials; and

(5) Clarify penalties for various quarantine and import law violations, based in part on whether violations were knowingly committed.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Office of the Mayor of the County of Maui; Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi; Hawaiʻi Forest Industry Association; Big Island Invasive Species Committee; Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species; Maui Chamber of Commerce; Windward Coalition; and seven individuals.

Your Committee finds that invasive species continue to pose a significant risk to Hawaii's economy, environment, and public health. This measure strengthens the State's biosecurity system by enhancing monitoring, tightening import regulations, and expanding early detection efforts to prevent the introduction of invasive species.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Authorizing the Department of Agriculture to provide access to certain items or materials for research or testing;

(2) Clarifying the state of mind requirements for certain violations of prohibited animal or plant importation laws; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 252, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 252, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair