STAND. COM. REP. NO. 402-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 2200

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 2200 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BIOSECURITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Agriculture to continue the Ports-of-Entry Biosecurity Program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation; Department of Agriculture; Department of Land and Natural Resources; Department of Health; Big Island Invasive Species Committee; Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; and four individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that invasive species pose the biggest threat to Hawaii on many fronts. The Ports-of-Entry Biosecurity Program, formerly known as Māmalu Poepoe, has prevented the introduction and spread of high-risk pests in Hawaii through a multi-agency pest monitoring system at state airports. Your Committee further finds that the continued operation of the Ports-of-Entry Biosecurity Program is of great importance in protecting the State from invasive species.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting the amounts of the appropriations;

(2) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it choose to hear this measure, to consider appropriating $525,000 for fiscal year 2022-2023 for the Ports-of-Entry Biosecurity Program, to be allocated as follows:

(1) $425,000 for personnel costs;

(2) $60,000 for materials and supplies;

(3) $15,000 for travel expenses; and

(4) $25,000 for all other costs.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2200, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2200, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair