STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1112-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 572

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems, to which was referred S.B. No. 572, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize and specify conditions under which the Department of Agriculture may declare a biosecurity emergency, during which the Department and Governor may take certain actions to prevent the establishment or spread of pests and prohibited or restricted organisms; and

(2) Broaden the objectives and general actions of the Biosecurity Program to, among other things, require agricultural commodity importers to take certain actions to prevent the import of pests.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Department of Agriculture; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council; Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that invasive species pose an increasing threat to the State and its agriculture industry. Establishing and broadening the conditions under which the Department of Agriculture may declare a biosecurity emergency would facilitate more proactive and expedient mitigation of the risks posed by invasive species and their importation.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Removing requirements of agricultural commodity importers and incorporating some of those requirements into the Department of Agriculture's public education requirements;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee notes the concerns raised by the Department of Land and Natural Resources related to clarifying the role of the Hawaii Invasive Species Council in a biosecurity emergency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 572, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 572, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems,

____________________________

CEDRIC ASUEGA GATES, Chair