STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3229

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3040

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 3040 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PESTICIDES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Agriculture to provide annual reporting on pesticide inspection and compliance investigations; and

(2) Increase monetary fines for pesticide violations.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one member of the Hawai‘i County Council; Young Progressives Demanding Action; Hawai‘i Seed; Hawai‘i Center for Food Safety; Americans for Democratic Action Hawai‘i; Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action; EMCC Hawaii; We Are One, Inc.; UpCountry Doctor; Pele Lani Farm; Ka Ohana O Na Pua; A‘a Li‘i Farm; and sixty-three individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawai‘i Farm Bureau and Hawaii Pest Control Association. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee finds that the regulation of pesticide use continues to be of critical importance as it affects the public health, safety, and welfare of residents and visitors of the State. Your Committee further finds that there are significant risks to public health and the environment when pesticide use instructions are not followed properly. According to a 2016 report by the Department of Agriculture titled "Pesticide Use by Large Agribusinesses on Kaua‘i", stricter monitoring of pesticide inspections and compliance investigations are necessary to protect against improper uses of pesticides. This measure will improve the safety of residents and visitors of the State, as well as the environment, by ensuring more stringent enforcement of Hawaii's pesticides law and increasing fines for pesticide violations.

Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of June 18, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3040, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3040, S.D. 1.

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

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KARL RHOADS, Chair