STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2185

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2321

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2321 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE TWO-LINED SPITTLEBUG,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a two-year Two-Lined Spittlebug Response Pilot Program to mitigate and control the spread of the two-lined spittlebug;

(2) Require reports to the Legislature; and

(3) Appropriate funds.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity; Department of Land and Natural Resources; Department of Research and Development of the County of Hawaiʻi; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United; Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species; Wall Ranch, Inc.; Larry Jefts Farms, LLC; Agriculture Stewardship Hawaiʻi; Triple S Livestock LLC; Hawaiʻi Food+ Policy; Kapapala Ranch; and twelve individuals.

Your Committee finds that the two-lined spittlebug is an invasive insect that has been found to damage key agricultural grasslands. Damaged rangelands can lead to the proliferation of invasive weed species and an increased risk for wildfires. Your Committee further finds that the two-lined spittlebug has already decimated thousands of acres of foraging grasses in pastures used for cattle ranching. Action is critical to curb the spread of this insect and further grassland damage. This measure will help safeguard the State's ranching industry, food chains, and the State's ecosystem by mitigating the spread of the two-lined spittlebug.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee notes that this measure contains an unspecified appropriation amount. Should your Committee on Ways and Means choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider inserting an appropriation amount of $120,000 to establish and fund one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) program coordinator position to oversee and manage the Two-Lined Spittlebug Response Pilot Program.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2321, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2321, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture and Environment,

________________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair