STAND. COM. REP. NO. 4-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1601

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems, to which was referred H.B. No. 1601 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BIOSECURITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to amend the expending agency for a fiscal year 2026-2027 appropriation for the Hawaii Invasive Species Council from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity; Department of Land and Natural Resources; Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi; Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species; Oʻahu Invasive Species Committee; Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; The Nature Conservancy Hawaiʻi and Palmyra; Hawaiʻi Food+ Policy; Free Access Coalition; Big Island Invasive Species Committee; American Bird Conservancy; and numerous individuals.

Your Committee finds that Act 236, Session Laws of Hawaii 2025 (Act 236), provides for the transfer of the Hawaii Invasive Species Council from the Department of Land and Natural Resources to the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, to take effect on January 1, 2030. Act 236 also appropriated funds for fiscal year 2026-2027 to be expended by the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity for the operations of the Hawaii Invasive Species Council.

Your Committee further finds that, as the Hawaii Invasive Species Council is currently housed within the Department of Land and Natural Resources until January 1, 2030, the Department of Land and Natural Resources is the more appropriate expending agency for funds appropriated for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the operations of the Hawaii Invasive Species Council.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

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 H.B. No. 1601, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1601, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Water & Land.

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

____________________________

CORY CHUN, Chair