STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2783

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 1684

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1684, H.D. 2, entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to establish and revise the penalties for the intentional introduction and spread of invasive species.

 

     Specifically, this measure:

 

     (1)  Changes a violation of the importation of live organism requirements, as codified in section 150A-5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, from a civil penalty to a petty misdemeanor, and reduces the minimum and maximum fines;

 

     (2)  Establishes the intentional introduction and spread of invasive pests, as designated by statute or rule, as a class C felony; and

 

     (3)  Expands the "intent to propagate" presumption to include pests designated by statute or rule.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by two state agencies, three organizations, and one individual.  One organization supports the intent.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     The Hawaiian Islands make up less than 0.2 per cent of the land area of the United States, but support more than thirty per cent of the nation's species listed under the Endangered Species Act.  Our islands have suffered the highest rates of extinction of any area in the United States, and one of the highest rates anywhere in the world.  The primary agent of this loss of native biodiversity has been the massive introduction by humans of alien species to the Hawaiian Islands.  Your Committee finds that greater penalties for the intentional introduction and spread of invasive species will serve as a deterrent to future violators. 

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Adopting the recommendations of the Department of Agriculture to clarify the parameters of the intentional introduction and spread of pests; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of style and clarity. 

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1684, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1684, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Government Operations.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs,

 

 

 

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair