STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3706

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2619

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2619, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL BIOSECURITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate moneys for the biosecurity program of the Department of Agriculture to develop and implement projects for clean plant material, agricultural treatments, diagnostics, and pest management.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii Department of Agriculture; Department of Land and Natural Resources; Office of Hawaiian Affairs; County of Maui; Larry Jefts Farms, LLC; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council; Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii; Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association; Hawaii Farm Bureau; Hawaii Crop Improvement Association; Ulupono Initiative; Carol Kwan Consulting, LLC; Maui County Farm Bureau; and four individuals.

Your Committee finds that the State's agricultural biosecurity program helps safeguard Hawaii's unique environment, natural resources, public health, and agricultural industries. The program's pre-entry measures, port-of-entry inspections, post‑entry measures, and other programs help protect the State from the introduction and spread of harmful pests.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting Section 1 of the measure and renumbering subsequent sections accordingly; and

(2) Amending the appropriation to fund thirteen programs and one hundred ten positions in support of the State's biosecurity and invasive species response. Your Committee notes that of these programs and positions:

(A) Seventy-eight positions and $17,619,338 in general funds will be added to Program ID AGR122. Of these seventy‑eight positions, thirty-two positions and $2,376,168 in general funds are new positions and funds, and the remaining forty-six positions and funds were previously included in the base budget through special funds; and

(B) Thirty-two positions and $2,178,530 in general funds will be added to Program ID AGR846. Of these thirty-two positions, twelve positions and $804,492 in general funds are new positions and funds, and the remaining twenty positions and funds were previously included in the base budget through revolving funds.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2619, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2619, H.D. 1, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair