Hawaii-2010-HB2412-Introduced

SECTION 1. In August and September 2009, a senate ad hoc committee conducted five informational briefings to gather information on the potential impacts of the anticipated reduction in services for the department of agriculture's plant quarantine branch and commodities branch throughout the State.

The plant quarantine branch's biosecurity program is responsible for controlling the introduction and interisland spread of invasive species in Hawaii, which has been described as the single greatest threat to Hawaii's economy, natural environment, and the health and lifestyle of Hawaii's people. Nearly ninety per cent of Hawaii's consumer goods are imported and ships alone bring in 500,000 sea containers carrying 25,000,000 cartons, with inspectors at harbors and airports serving as the first line of defense in stopping invasive species.

Initially, the plant quarantine branch listed seventy-two general funded positions and forty special funded positions, with fifty-two of the general funded positions scheduled for layoffs. As a result of the briefings and increased community attention, on September 24, 2009, the department of agriculture announced temporary restoration of twenty-two of the plant quarantine inspector positions slated for layoffs to support core inspection services at ports statewide. The $1,800,000 funding for the twenty-two positions includes $600,000 earmarked for the Hawaii invasive species council and $1,200,000 from fees collected in the pest inspection, quarantine, and eradication fund. Income to the special fund comes from maritime and airline companies that bring in cargo to Hawaii and pay 50 cents per 1,000 pounds of cargo for inspection, quarantine, and eradication of invasive species that may be transported into the State.

The department's commodities branch provides fee-for-service certification and auditing; enforces laws regarding the quality and condition of agricultural products; issues licenses for dealers in farm produce; conducts feed registration, sampling, and enforcement for label guarantees; and administers the milk control section. The branch is also responsible for seafood inspections, seed certification, federal-state certification of eggs, and food safety.

The commodities branch is projected to lose fifty per cent of its full time staff. On the island of Hawaii, the layoffs will directly impact the papaya and coffee industries and increase certification times from days to weeks. Statewide, over 1,800,000 pounds of papaya were checked and over 6,300,000 pounds of coffee certified in fiscal year 2009.

The informational briefings raised a number of concerns regarding the potential impacts of the reduction in services for the department of agriculture's plant quarantine branch and commodities branch throughout the State, including the environmental impacts.

For example, invasive pests can cause millions of dollars in crop losses, the extinction of native species, the destruction of native forests, the spread of diseases, and the quarantine of exported agricultural crops. Plant quarantine inspectors must be able to identify over 150 prohibited animals, 1,800 restricted animals, 1,800 conditionally approved fish, 600 general and nearly 22,000 species of grasses, as well as 100,000 hybrids of orchids that require quarantine. Inspectors need a relevant academic degree and three years of training, and currently, all branch staff require overtime to meet inspection needs. Projected cuts will reduce the staff by nearly half, making adequate inspection impossible, and the loss of these services will have a detrimental environmental ripple effect for businesses and communities throughout the State.

The purpose of this Act is to direct the legislative reference bureau to analyze and report on the environmental impacts on businesses and communities, as a result of the reduction in services for the department of agriculture's plant quarantine branch and commodities branch.

SECTION 2. (a) The legislative reference bureau shall analyze the environmental impacts on businesses and communities, as a result of the reduction in services for the department of agriculture's plant quarantine branch and commodities branch throughout the State, including:

(1) The number and types of inspections, certification and auditing, registration and enforcement, and other services directly affected by the layoffs;

(2) The adequacy of the workforce prior to the current reductions;

(3) The shortage of entomologists on each island, and the impacts on timely responses;

(4) A review of the pest inspection, quarantine, and eradication fund and compliance by cargo carriers that are required to pay into the fund;

(5) A review of the impact of using $600,000 earmarked for the Hawaii invasive species council to fund inspector services, particularly the consequences for "on the ground" eradication and management programs of invasive species; and

(6) Other environmental and financial impacts, particularly on communities and businesses that previously relied on these services.

(b) The legislative reference bureau shall consult with, at minimum, the department of agriculture; the Hawaii invasive species council; the counties, and other government and private sector agencies as deemed appropriate by the legislative reference bureau, and legislators.

(c) The legislative reference bureau shall submit a report of its findings, recommendations, and any proposed legislation to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2011.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2412
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2010
STATE OF HAWAII