STAND. COM. REP. NO. 557

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 1478
                                        




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Economic Development, to which was
referred S.B. No. 1478 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PLANTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:
     
     The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Department
of Agriculture to designate by rule those restricted plants that
may spread an infestation of an insect, pest, or disease that is
detrimental or potentially harmful, and to include noxious weeds
as restricted plants.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Department of Agriculture and Life of the Land.

     Your Committee finds that under current law, importation of
restricted plants is limited by permit and under specific
conditions of entry.  This measure would strengthen the plant
inspection program by making it easier to enforce and assess
penalties on importers who import restricted plants without a
permit or in violation of permit conditions.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Economic Development that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of S.B. No. 1478 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and
be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 557
                                   Page 2


                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Economic
                                   Development,



                                   ______________________________
                                   LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair

 
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