STAND. COM. REP. NO. 51

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: H.B. No. 211

H.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 211 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FIREWEED,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to implement short-term control methods to stop the spread of fireweed by appropriating funds for this purpose.

Your Committee notes that fireweed is an extremely poisonous weed, that, when ingested is poisonous to cattle, horses, and other livestock. Fireweed is also a serious threat to the State's native Hawaiian plant ecosystems. Your Committee recognizes that this appropriation in and of itself is not a long-term solution to eradicating fireweed, but rather would help contain the spread of this noxious weed.

The Chair, Vice-Chair, and a council member of Maui County Council, Parker Ranch, Haleakala Ranch, Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc., Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, Pineapple Growers Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Big Island Farm Bureau, and the Maui County Farm Bureau testified in support of this measure. The Department of Agriculture and the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources submitted comments on this measure.

Your Committee has amended this bill by changing the appropriation amount from $50,000 to $1 for each of the 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 fiscal years. Technical, nonsubstantive amendments were also made for clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 211, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 211, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture,

____________________________

FELIPE P. ABINSAY, Chair