Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and Environment

Calling the 1:00 hearing for Health Human Services Joint Committee hearing with Agriculture and Environment. Present with me is my Co-Chair, Senator Gabbard as well as Members of his Committee, Senators Richards and Sander Rhoads.

First up, HCR28 requesting the reconvening of the working group established pursuant to House Resolution number 18 HD1 regular session 2024 to continue the efforts to address issues related to water and air contamination and remediation arising from the operation of the Puoloa Range training facility. First up we have Sarah Club in support. Hello. You have one minute.

Okay, yeah, I'll be real quick. Just wanted to thank the committees. My name is Wayne Taka, Sir Kabahoye. Strongest part of this resolution. Thank you so much for hearing this resolution. Great for committees.

Also great for the community that's been working for years now to kind of deal with this threat to anyone who visits or lives in or recreates in Ewa Beach. And so happy to answer any questions. And Mahalmui for your time.

Thank you very much. Next we have Susan B. Roberts, Emory Green Party of Hawaii in support of support Surf Rider Foundation, Oahu Chapter and support Hannah Lilly, Country Talk Story. And support June James Malu, Aina Center for Nonviolent Education and Action. And support Jim Albertini, Melody Aduja, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii.

And support Maria Hernandez, May Micronesia Climate Change alliance and support. Maria, are you present on Zoom?

Not present on Zoom, Chair.

Okay, thank you. Sherry Pollock in support. Bo Brenda in support. Peter Wilson, Support. Diane Ware in support. Michelle Mitsumori in support. Susan Collins in support. Michael Plowman in support. Deborah Pence in support. Jamie Bryant in support. Jermaine Myers in support. And 17 other individuals all in support. Liam Chin, are you present on Zoom?

Yes, I am.

Please proceed.

Okay, thank you so much. Chair and Vice Chair. So I was a resident of Eva for several years. I live right next to the shooting range. And you know, unfortunately, you know, multiple tests from Surfrider to the Marines themselves have taken place over the last couple of years that confirmed extremely high levels of lead.

And my wife and I had a tragic incident where we had a spontaneous birth and we lost our daughter.

And in the wake of that, you know, in speaking to our doctors and trying to find answers, we did mention that there's massive amounts of lead contamination right next to where everybody's living and where we swim at the beach. It's literally the shooting range. If you haven't been there, touches the beach park, there's no border.

You could literally so that lead doesn't. There's no invisible border keeping that in. Which is all to say that the doctors recommended we move. They said, if you ever get pregnant again, the damage that lead does to pregnant women and unborn children as well as young children is well documented. So I have to tell you that.

Liam Chen, your time is up for hhs. Do you have anything else? Can you wrap it up?

I just highly recommend that you please pass the working group as a critical mechanism to ensure the community. Thank you for passing it.

Thank you very much. Okay, anybody else wishing to testify on HCR28? Members, any questions? Okay. May we proceed with decision making? We have. It looks like we have quorum on both sides here. Chair's recommendation is to pass as is. Any comments, questions, concerns? Seeing none. Vice Chair, you ready to do the vote?

Okay. Vice Chair for the vote.

Yes.

[Roll call]

Same recommendation for AEN. Any discussion? Chair votes aye. Vice Chair.

Thank you. As on HCR 28 House draft, one passing unamended. Chair votes aye. Vice Chair votes aye. Senator Duo is excused. Senator Rhodes, Senator Awa is excused. Chair, you have three in favor. Motion adopted.

And with that, the Joint Hearing is adjourned.

And okay, we're rolling right into the 1:01 AEN agenda on two measures. ACR25 HD1 requesting the Department of Agriculture to include a statement and on desecration laws in the Plant and Animal Declaration forum. First up is Department of Agriculture. Just in time on HCR25 HD1.

Good afternoon, Chair, Vice Chair, Members of the Committee. Cedric Gates, here on behalf of the Department of Agriculture, we stand on our written testimony offering comments on this measure. Here for any questions. Mahalo.

Cedric. Cara Oba from DLNR.

Hello, Kara from DLNR. Just here to stand on our written testimony, also providing comments. Thank you.

Okay, anyone else online or in person wanting to testify on this measure? Members, any questions? Okay, let's move on to the other measure. 8cr200 on the Maui Access Deer Control and Venison Initiative. Department of Ag is up.

Thank you, Chair. The Department stands on its recent testimony offering comments on this measure supporting the intent.

Thank you. Nicole Galase from the Hawaii Cattlemen's Council. Thank you, Chair.

Vice Chair. Members of the Committee, Nicole Galase. On behalf of the Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, we support this measure as access deer are both an economic and environmental threat to the state. Mahalo.

Thank you. Angela Young on Zoom.

Not present on Zoom. Chair.

Okay. And we also have Irene Stretcher from the Hawaii Forest Industry Association in support. And all the following are in support. Jimmy Gomes, Theresa Thompson, Randy Cabral, Jason Moniz, Mackenzie Wilde, Jimmy Greenwell. Anyone else wishing to testify on this measure online or in person? Members, are there any questions?

Okay, so we can just move right into decision making on the first measure. Chair's recommendation will be to pass with the tech amendments. Any discussion? Chair votes aye.

Vice Chair on HCR25, House draft one passing with amendments. Chair votes aye. Vice Chair votes aye. Senator Dacoit is excused. Senator Rhodes, aye. Senator Awa is excused. Chair, you have three in favor. Motion is adopted.

Okay. And so thank you, Members. And then on HCR200, the chair's recommendation will also be to pass with tech amendments. Any discussion? Chair votes Aye.

On HCR200, passing with amendments. Chair votes aye. Vice Chair votes aye. Senator Rhodes, Senator Decoite and Awa are excused. Chair, your motion is adopted.

Thank you very much much Members. And that adjourns.

And welcome back. Well, it's Friday, April 11, 2025 and we convened in room 224 and video conferencing for our Joint Hearing with our good friends at the EIG Committee and which includes audio and video of remote participants that's being streamed live on YouTube.

In the unlikely event that this hearing is cut short, we will reconvene on Monday, April 14 at 1pm during AEM's time slot and a public notice will be posted on the Legislature's website. Our 90 minute time limit. We will have a 2 minute time limit for all testifiers here to testify. All right, please come in. Hang on.

We've started the hearing. Please have a seat. Hop in. Because of our 90 minute time limit, there'll be a 2 minute time limit for all testifiers and we'll have a virtual countdown on the zoom screen. We're just going to leave our testimony behind for now. Okay. Thank you. Thank you very much. That's a first.

Okay, so first up is HCR27 requesting Hawaii's congressional delegation to petition the United States Department of Agriculture to address the lack of parity between Hawaii and other states and territories pertaining to the export of agricultural goods. First up is Department of Agriculture. Where's your bunny suit?

That was my freshman year. Yes. Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair, Members of the Committee, Cedric Gates here on behalf of the Department of Agriculture. The Department stands on our written comments in support of this measure here for any questions. Mahalo.

Thank you very much, Cedric. Next is Le Monmi Khan in support. Anyone else wishing to testify on this measure online or in person?

Seeing none, we'll turn it over to you, Chair. Okay, we're going to move on to HCR42 HD1, encouraging each county to establish its own biosecurity plan that prioritizes the needs of the county. On our testifiers list, we have the Department of Agriculture.

The Department stands on the strict and testimony offering comments of this measure. Any questions?

Thank you, Cedric. Dawn Chang from DLNR has submitted testimony in support. Chelsea Arnott, Also in support. Stephanie Easley might be joining us via Zoom. Welcome, Stephanie.

Hello. Good afternoon. Chairs, Vice Chairs, Members of the Committee. My name is Stephanie Easley. I'm sorry.

Oh, no. Go ahead, Stephanie.

Okay, I gotta pop up. I'm sorry. We're with the Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species. We are in support of HCR42 and appreciate your consideration of this resolution. Counties have a huge role to play in invasive species prevention and response. The Legislature encouraging each county to develop a biosecurity plan may help catalyze those plans.

We are really grateful for the language added to HCR42 HD1 to expand each county's biosecurity plan to include proposed legislative changes at both the state and county levels. Current counties are completely preempted from regulating noxious weeds, pests or other invasive species or infested material. This is an implied preemption that was found by the courts.

It is not in statute. You know, reading through the submitted testimony, they refer to the great progress being made by the interagency NCU for Koki frog, Coconut Rhinoceros beetle. Sorry. However, there are no state level programs to address invasive plants that are already present in the state.

HTOA does a great job of inspecting at the border, but for species already here that impact farming and ranching, we just don't have an operating noxious weed program at this time. You know, counties may want to restrict invasive plants like Albizia, which may be legally imported and sold in our state.

And now each county may identify alternatives to address this gap in the county's biosecurity. Thank you. And I'm here if you have any questions.

Thank you, Stephanie. Members, we have. Louis Crozier has submitted testimony in support. Is there anyone else wishing to testify on HCR42? If not, we're going to take a brief recess to gather quorum.

Okay. Reconvening the AEN and EIG committees for decision making on the first measure, HCR27 foreign. Let's see. The Chair's recommendation will be to pass with tech amendments having to do with the petition to the congressional delegation regarding agricultural goods. Any discussion? Chair votes aye.

Vice Chair on HCR 27 passing with amendments. Chair votes aye. Vice Chair, both sides. Senator Decoite.

Senator Rhodes. Senator Awa. Motion is adopted.

Aye.

Thank you.

Members for the EIG Committee, same recommendation to pass with tech amendments. Any discussion? If not Senator Decoite? I vote yes.

Okay. HCR27 passing with tech amendments. Chair goes I, Senator Chang. Excuse. Senator De Cos. I, Senator Richards. All right. Senator Fevella excused. Thank you. Chair. It's adopted.

On the next measure, HCR 42, HD 1. The two chairs have conferred at length. Such a spectacular resolution. We'd like to pass it out as is. Any discussion? If not Senator Decoy, I vote yes.

Okay. Holding HDR for two. HD one. Chair goes aye. Senator. Senators Chang excused. Senator Cook rules. Aye. Senator Richards. All right. And Senator Favela is excused. Chair, your motion is adopted. Thank you.

Same recommendation for AEN. Any discussion? Chair votes.

I, Vice Chair on HCR 42 House Draft 1. Passing unamended. Chair, both side. Vice Chair, both sides. Senator Decoy. Aye. Senator Rhodes. Senator AWA excused. Chair, you're motion adoption.

Thank you very much.

And that adjourns the two o' clock agenda.