STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1412

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 330

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committees on Agriculture & Food Systems and Economic Development & Technology, to which was referred S.B. No. 330, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Hawaii Department of Agriculture to enforce quarantines issued by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species; Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; and one individual. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committees find that protecting Hawaii's agricultural sector from invasive pests and diseases is essential to sustaining local food production and ensuring agricultural resilience. Existing state regulations restricting the importation of certain crops are outdated and do not adequately address the current threats posed by emerging pests and plant diseases. This measure strengthens the State's biosecurity by authorizing the Department of Agriculture to enforce federal pest and disease quarantines, closing a critical gap in agricultural protection and preventing the spread of harmful infestations. However, your Committees also find that certain amendments are necessary to remove provisions that the Department of Agriculture has testified are unnecessary or not aligned with certain standard requirements.

Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying conditions that apply to interstate shipments for entry into the State;

(2) Deleting certain definitions;

(3) Adding a definition for "state";

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

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture & Food Systems and Economic Development & Technology that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 330, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 330, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture & Food Systems and Economic Development & Technology,

____________________________ GREGGOR ILAGAN, Chair

____________________________ KIRSTIN KAHALOA, Chair