STAND. COM. REP. NO.  287

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

 

RE:   H.B. No. 772

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 772 entitled:

 

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

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to provide a dedicated source of funding to prevent the spread of invasive species by:

 

     (1)  Requiring the Department of Agriculture (DOA) to prescribe a schedule of service fees and charges to be collected from persons who import objects that may harbor invasive species or personal property used for the movement of other personal property that may harbor invasive species;

 

     (2)  Establishing the Invasive Species Inspection, Quarantine, and Eradication Fund (Eradication Fund) into which the service fees and charges collected in (1), in addition to legislative appropriations, fees for permits and inspections, certain fines and penalties for violations, and federal funds, are to be deposited; and

 

     (3)  Requiring funds in the Eradication Fund to be used for the operation of inspection and monitoring programs and facilities at ports of entry, and for emergency remedial measures when invasive species are detected.

 

     The Department of Transportation, Oahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter, The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, and the Conservation Council for Hawaii supported this bill.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Hawaii Crop Improvement Association supported the intent of this measure.  The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Maui County Farm Bureau, Alexander & Baldwin, Inc., and Matson Navigation Company, Inc., opposed this bill.  The DOA and Airlines Committee of Hawaii offered comments.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Energy & Environmental Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 772 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Transportation.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Energy & Environmental Protection,

 

 

____________________________

HERMINA MORITA, Chair

 

____________________________

CLIFT TSUJI, Chair