Hawaii 2022 Regular Session

Hawaii Senate Bill SB342 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	THE SENATE S.B. NO. 342 THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to invasive species. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
2	2
3	3	THE SENATE S.B. NO. 342
4	4	THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021
5	5	STATE OF HAWAII
6	6
7	7	THE SENATE
8	8
9	9	S.B. NO.
10	10
11	11	342
12	12
13	13	THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021
14	14
15	15
16	16
17	17	STATE OF HAWAII
18	18
19	19
20	20
21	21
22	22
23	23
24	24
25	25
26	26
27	27
28	28
29	29
30	30
31	31	A BILL FOR AN ACT
32	32
33	33
34	34
35	35
36	36
37	37	relating to invasive species.
38	38
39	39
40	40
41	41
42	42
43	43	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
44	44
45	45
46	46
47	47	SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the two-lined spittlebug, Prosapia bicincta, is an invasive insect that attacks key forage grasses used by the livestock ranching industry. In 2016, the state's first two-lined spittlebug infestation was discovered in Kailua-Kona, on the island of Hawaii, where the pest had damaged nearly two thousand acres of pasture land. Many high quality pasture grasses, including Bracharia, Kikuyu, Pangola, St. Augustine, and Bermuda grass are susceptible to P.bincincta attacks. During heavy infestations, dying plant tissue cascade from the leaves to the roots, ultimately causing the death of the whole plant. The resulting damage does not allow for any regrowth, requiring ranchers to totally replant affected pastures. The legislature further finds that two-lined spittlebug infestations have reduced the quality of some forage pastures in Hawaii by decreasing their nutritional value, palatability, and productivity. Infestations of the pest also promote the establishment of weeds and lower-quality foraging grasses. Monthly surveys carried out on the island of Hawaii since 2017 show that the pest is rapidly expanding its range and now covers more than two hundred seventy-five square miles. The legislature recognizes that livestock ranching is a highly productive and extremely valuable industry on all of Hawaii's major islands. The state's livestock industry has an estimated annual value of more than $68,000,000, with over one hundred forty-two thousand beef cattle on more than one thousand three hundred ranches. Collectively, these ranches cover nearly twenty-five per cent of the state's land area. The legislature also recognizes that the expanding livestock industry serves as an economic engine for the state and a major employer for local communities. This is particularly true on the island of Hawaii, where nearly sixty per cent of the state's cattle are raised. Additionally, seventy per cent of the beef cattle in Hawaii are raised on sod‑forming grasses such as Kikuyu and Pangola. Consequently, two-lined spittlebugs threaten both job and food security in the state, making it crucial to address infestations and to restrict further spread. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to mitigate and control the two-lined spittlebug and to fund recovery efforts. SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the invasive species fund of the State of Hawaii the sum of $659,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2021-2022 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2022-2023 to mitigate and control the two-lined spittlebug, including but not limited to reducing the two-lined spittlebug population using insecticides, integrating weed management measures in affected rangelands, and reseeding pastures damaged by infestations. The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of agriculture for the purposes of this Act. SECTION 3. The department of agriculture shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations regarding efforts to mitigate and control the two-lined spittlebug and the recovery of pasture lands, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2022. The report shall document the expenditure of funds and the progress of activities funded by this Act. SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2021. INTRODUCED BY: _____________________________
48	48
49	49	SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the two-lined spittlebug, Prosapia bicincta, is an invasive insect that attacks key forage grasses used by the livestock ranching industry. In 2016, the state's first two-lined spittlebug infestation was discovered in Kailua-Kona, on the island of Hawaii, where the pest had damaged nearly two thousand acres of pasture land. Many high quality pasture grasses, including Bracharia, Kikuyu, Pangola, St. Augustine, and Bermuda grass are susceptible to P.bincincta attacks. During heavy infestations, dying plant tissue cascade from the leaves to the roots, ultimately causing the death of the whole plant. The resulting damage does not allow for any regrowth, requiring ranchers to totally replant affected pastures.
50	50
51	51	The legislature further finds that two-lined spittlebug infestations have reduced the quality of some forage pastures in Hawaii by decreasing their nutritional value, palatability, and productivity. Infestations of the pest also promote the establishment of weeds and lower-quality foraging grasses. Monthly surveys carried out on the island of Hawaii since 2017 show that the pest is rapidly expanding its range and now covers more than two hundred seventy-five square miles.
52	52
53	53	The legislature recognizes that livestock ranching is a highly productive and extremely valuable industry on all of Hawaii's major islands. The state's livestock industry has an estimated annual value of more than $68,000,000, with over one hundred forty-two thousand beef cattle on more than one thousand three hundred ranches. Collectively, these ranches cover nearly twenty-five per cent of the state's land area.
54	54
55	55	The legislature also recognizes that the expanding livestock industry serves as an economic engine for the state and a major employer for local communities. This is particularly true on the island of Hawaii, where nearly sixty per cent of the state's cattle are raised. Additionally, seventy per cent of the beef cattle in Hawaii are raised on sod‑forming grasses such as Kikuyu and Pangola. Consequently, two-lined spittlebugs threaten both job and food security in the state, making it crucial to address infestations and to restrict further spread. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to mitigate and control the two-lined spittlebug and to fund recovery efforts.
56	56
57	57	SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the invasive species fund of the State of Hawaii the sum of $659,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2021-2022 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2022-2023 to mitigate and control the two-lined spittlebug, including but not limited to reducing the two-lined spittlebug population using insecticides, integrating weed management measures in affected rangelands, and reseeding pastures damaged by infestations.
58	58
59	59	The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of agriculture for the purposes of this Act.
60	60
61	61	SECTION 3. The department of agriculture shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations regarding efforts to mitigate and control the two-lined spittlebug and the recovery of pasture lands, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2022. The report shall document the expenditure of funds and the progress of activities funded by this Act.
62	62
63	63	SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2021.
64	64
65	65
66	66
67	67	INTRODUCED BY: _____________________________
68	68
69	69	INTRODUCED BY:
70	70
71	71	_____________________________
72	72
73	73
74	74
75	75
76	76
77	77	Report Title: Invasive Species; Control; Two-lined Spittlebug; Department of Agriculture; Appropriation Description: Appropriates funds to the department of agriculture for the control of the two-lined spittlebug and recovery of the rangelands damaged by the invasive pest. The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
78	78
79	79
80	80
81	81
82	82
83	83	Report Title:
84	84
85	85	Invasive Species; Control; Two-lined Spittlebug; Department of Agriculture; Appropriation
86	86
87	87
88	88
89	89	Description:
90	90
91	91	Appropriates funds to the department of agriculture for the control of the two-lined spittlebug and recovery of the rangelands damaged by the invasive pest.
92	92
93	93
94	94
95	95
96	96
97	97
98	98
99	99	The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.