Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Third Special Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 15 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish an emergency environmental workforce for short-term employment of individuals who have lost their jobs due to Hawaii's recent economic downturn, in a way that will address some of Hawaii's pressing health and environmental needs.

The terrorist attacks on the United States of September 11, 2001, have dealt a blow to the economy of the nation in general, and Hawaii in particular. The general reluctance to fly has impacted Hawaii, the only state surrounded by water, most severely, and has undermined our visitor industry to the point that thousands of visitor industry workers have been laid off. The State must do what it can to deal with these economic consequences.

The State is also facing several health and environmental threats that are reaching critical proportions. The silent invasion of insects, diseases, weeds, and other pests is an enormous threat to Hawaii's economy, natural environment, and the health of its people. Dengue fever, carried by mosquitoes; coqui frogs and fire ants; and invasive miconia that strangle indigenous plants are at stages where they still can be eradicated. If swift action is not taken now, these pests may become too entrenched to be eliminated, posing serious long-term health and environmental damage to Hawaii and its residents.

This bill appropriates $1,500,000 to create an emergency environmental workforce, composed of individuals terminated from their jobs after the September 11, 2001, tragedy. They would serve as three-month contract employees and be deployed to all island mayors who certify a need for environmental clearance and eradication services. These positions would be administered by the Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii. While the bill mentions the figure of four hundred to four hundred fifty individuals, this number is intended to be a maximum, not a minimum number of individuals hired.

Testimony in support of his bill was received from the Director of the Labor and Industrial Relations; the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources; two councilmembers of the Maui County Council; the Chairperson of the Hawaii County Council; the Mayor of Hawaii County through his executive assistant; the Director of the Department of Community Services, City and County of Honolulu; the ILWU Local 142; the Maui Hotel Association; the Hawaii Pest Control Association; the Hawaii Export Nursery Association; the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii; the Sierra Club; a professor of botany at the University of Hawaii, and three individuals.

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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 15 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.