STAND. COM. REP. NO. 720-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 1854

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1854, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LITTLE FIRE ANTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to control the spread of little fire ants in the State by:

(1) Authorizing the Department of Agriculture (Department), in conjunction with the Hawaii Ant Lab, to identify best practices for the treatment of little fire ants by pest control operators;

(2) Requiring the posting of any best practices identified by the Department on its website;

(3) Requiring applicants for a pest control operator license to be tested on the written examination for knowledge of the current best practices identified by the Department for treatment of pests, including the little fire ant; and

(4) Subjecting a pest control operator to potential licensing sanctions for failure to report known or suspected cases of little fire ants.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from two individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Pest Control Association. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Pest Control Board, and Office of the Mayor of the County of Hawaii.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1854, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair