STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1052

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.C.R. No. 76

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 76 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO CONDUCT A FINANCIAL AND MANAGEMENT AUDIT OF THE HAWAII INVASIVE SPECIES COUNCIL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to ensure that the Hawaii Invasive Species Council efficiently administers its invasive species management projects, particularly its strategy for allocating funding to projects, by requesting the State Auditor to:

(1)  Perform a financial and management audit of the Council, including:

(A)  An investigation of the efficiency of the Council's funding allocation strategy to mitigate or eradicate invasive species; and

(B)  A determination on whether the Council's current strategy of funding as many mitigation projects as possible, as opposed to focusing on fewer projects that would eradicate an invasive species, is cost effective; and

(2)  Submit a report of any findings and recommendations of the Audit, including proposed legislation, to the Legislature prior to the convening of the 2016 Regular Session.

Animal Rights Hawaii supported this measure.  The Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species supported the intent of this measure.  A concerned individual opposed this measure.  The Department of Agriculture, Department of Land and Natural Resources, and the University of Hawaii System provided comments.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 76 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

CLIFT TSUJI, Chair