STAND. COM. REP. NO. 416

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 646

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 646 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ORNAMENTAL GINGER,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for statewide research into ornamental ginger pathogens for the purposes of prevention, production, and distribution of pathogen-free ornamental ginger plants and outreach to ornamental producers.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawai‘i College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association, East Oahu County Farm Bureau, Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, and four individuals.

Your Committees find that Alpinia pupurata, or ornamental ginger, is a popular and culturally significant plant in the State that is commonly used in tropical landscaping. Your Committees further find that due to a proliferation in emergent pathogens, commercial production of ornamental ginger in the State declined by forty-six percent between 2014 and 2018. As concerns developed, researchers and extension agents at the University of Hawai‘i College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources performed a statewide survey and causal agent identification study and found a combination of six viruses to be the cause of the ornamental ginger's decline, with other pathogens and ornamental ginger genetic variations as possible contributing factors. This measure appropriates funds to the University of Hawai‘i College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources to support their ongoing efforts for statewide research, mitigation, and prevention of pathogens affecting the ornamental ginger plant in the State.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 646 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Higher Education,

________________________________ DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair