UPDATE February 1

From Office of Rep Barbara Marumoto

HB1943 - RELATING TO INVASIVE SPECIES. Report Title: Department of Agriculture; Invasive Species Detector Inspector Positions; Appropriation Description: Establishes the Hawaii invasive species detection and prevention program within the DOA. Makes an appropriation to the DOA for the funding for the program

HB 1747 was gutted and put into HB 1943 (the new draft should be available around 3pm) SO HB 1943 was amended and passed and it will move to finance.

$81,270 dollars is appropriated to by dogs and they are looking for a matching grant of $81,270 for a total of $16,540

Testimony for Representative Barbara Marumoto’s bill HB1747 included:

• Russell Kokubun, Chair of the Dep’t of Ag
• Hawaii Farm Bureau Warren Watanabe
• Kristine Lesperance, Ph.D. Associate Professor; Detection Dog Business Owner
• The Nature Conservancy of Hawai'i Evelyn Wight Senior Communications Manager

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SNAKE and PROPERTY BILLS TO BE HEARD

Honolulu, January 31, 2012- Representative Barbara Marumoto wants to note that, two bills with statewide application regarding blighted property but would pertain to the Kahala area will be heard by the Senate. SB 2495 and SB 2496, introduced by Hee would rein in irresponsible landowners who allow their properties to downgrade the neighborhood. They will be heard in JDL committee, on February 2, 2012 at 9:30 a.m., in room 016. Both bills are based on measures introduced by Marumoto in 2011 but stalled in committee.

Rep. Marumoto’s bill HB 1747, Relating to Invasive Species, will allow the Department of Agriculture to hire dog handlers to restart the brown tree snake prevention program. The House Agriculture Committee will discuss the bill on February 1, 2012 at 8:00 a.m., in room 312. A second bill introduced by Chair Tsuji (and similar to another Marumoto bill) would give the Department of Agriculture funds to contract with a private dog handler to hunt down snakes.

In the mid-90’s, Rep. Marumoto was the first legislator to acquire state funds to supplement federal funds to start up the dog program.

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Snake Bill Hearing

News Release from office of Rep Barbara Marumoto January 30, 2012

• When: Wednesday, February 1st at 8am.
• Where: Room 312
• What: Department of Agriculture; Dog Detector Inspector Positions; Appropriation - Hearing for HB1747

Due to budget cuts, the state Department of Agriculture has allowed the brown tree snake program lapse.

The dogs used for cargo inspections were actually given away.

Representative Barbara Marumoto’s bill HB1747 will introduce legislation to get the inspections up and running again. HB1747 makes an appropriation to the DOA for the funding for 1 full-time equivalent dog detector inspector IV position (1.0 FTE) and 2 full-time equivalent dog detector III (2.0 FTE) positions.

Guam has 15,000 snakes per square mile that have eaten many birds, frogs as well as small pets. The snakes have also disrupted electrical power when the snakes short out transformers. With increased military and civilian flights expected from Guam, Hawaii can inherit this problem. Besides affecting our environment, the brown tree snake could easily devastate our poultry and egg industry.

HB 1747, Relating to Invasive Species, will be heard by the House Committee on Agriculture on Wednesday, February 1st at 8am.

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