TO: Members of Hawaii's Aquaculture Community
FROM: John S. Corbin, Manager - Aquaculture Development Program (ADP)
MEMORANDUM:

Monitoring the 2000 Legislative
Session & Bill Status Report

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The State Legislature convened January 19th for three and a half months of deliberations. This is the second year of a two-year session. The continuing tight State money situation makes our overall efforts to keep you informed during this year's session very critical.

The Funding Situation

Both the Legislature and Administration are facing pressure to make additional budget cuts, as well as to develop innovative ways to stimulate the economy and improve the overall business climate. We believe it is important that you understand that State support to aquaculture is very fragile in these difficult times.

Hawaii Aquaculture Association's Key Role

As in previous years, ADP will be monitoring and participating in the session, but to a more limited extent because of staff cuts. It will be extremely important that the industry trade association, the Hawaii Aquaculture Association (HAA), and all industry members get involved in the legislative process and testify on those bills that affect them. If you want to discuss legislative issues, please call HAA President Ron Weidenbach (637-0494) or ADP (587-0030) and we will get the message to him. ADP's main point of contact with the aquaculture industry on legislative matters will be HAA.

To facilitate industry involvement in the legislature, ADP will assist by having staff available by phone or email (aquacult@aloha.com) to discuss legislative matters and help you sort out any questions about the process. Neighbor Island members can call toll-free by island:

Kauai: 274-3141
Maui: 984-2400
Big Island: 974-4000
Molokai/Lanai: 1-800-468-4644

Key Legislative Committees

Below is a list of key legislative committees dealing with aquaculture-related issues and their phone numbers. You may contact them at the State Capitol. Please keep this and any appropriate future correspondence for future reference. If you want additional information or have questions about the Legislature, please call ADP and we will try to answer them in a timely fashion. Again, ADP's principal contact for industry input on bills, hearing notifications, etc. will be the HAA Legislative Committee. Other requests for assistance will be handled as best we can and as time permits. Aloha and let's work for a positive session.

House of Representatives

Agriculture Committee

  • Felipe Abinsay, Chair (586-6010, fax 586-6011), Room 311
  • Willie C. Espero, Vice-Chair (586-6360), fax 586-6361), Room 332

Finance Committee

  • Dwight Y. Takamine, Chair (586-6200, fax 586-6201), Room 306
  • Bertha Kawakami, Vice-Chair (586-6280, fax 586-6281), Room 434

Ocean Recreation and Marine Resources Committee (Main Aquaculture Committee)

  • Roy M. Takumi, Chair (586-6170, fax 586-6171), Room 444
  • Brian Schatz, Vice-Chair (586-9425, fax 586-9431), Room 326

Water and Land Use Committee

  • Romy Cachola, Chair (586-6110, fax 586-6111), Room 402
  • Ezra Kanoho, Vice-Chair (586-6270, fax 586-6271), Room 432

Senate

(Note: the Senate has Co-Chairs for some of its committees)

Economic Development Committee (Main Aquaculture Committee)

  • Lorraine R. Inouye, Chair (586-7335, fax 586-7339), Room 201
  • Jan Yagi Buen, Vice-Chair (586-7340, fax 586-7343), Room 204

Water, Land and Hawaiian Affairs Committee

  • Colleen Hanabusa, Chair (586-7793, fax 586-7797), Room 218
  • Joe Tanaka, Vice-Chair (586-7110, fax 586-7119), Room 223

Ways and Means Committee

  • Carol Fukunaga, Co-Chair (586-6890, fax 586-6899), Room 210
  • Andrew Levin, Co-Chair (586-6760, fax 586-6689), Room 213

* * * * * * * *

2000 LEGISLATIVE STATUS REPORT
Aquaculture / Ag Related Bills

MEASURE: HB1805
RELATING TO: THEFT
DESCRIPTION: Increases property value for 2nd degree theft charge from $300 to $750

MEASURE: HB2356 ---- SB2708
RELATING TO: HIGH TECH DEV. CORP.
DESCRIPTION: Consolidates high tech agencies, including NELHA into one agency under UH

MEASURE: HB2403 ---- SB2744
RELATING TO: AQUACULTURE
DESCRIPTION: Abolishes the Hawaii Aquaculture Advisory Council under DOA

MEASURE: HB2404 ---- SB2745
RELATING TO: AQUACULTURE
DESCRIPTION: Creates an Aquaculture Special Fund and rules to collect fees

MEASURE: HB2500 ---- SB2841
RELATING TO: HIGH TECHNOLOGY
DESCRIPTION: Consolidates high technology agencies, including NELHA, under one agency

MEASURE: HB2799 ---- SB3005
RELATING TO: AQUACULTURE
DESCRIPTION: Appropriates funds to hire a microbiologist for ADP's Disease Management Program

MEASURE: HB2826 ---- SB3147
RELATING TO: FISH BREEDING ON MOLOKAI
DESCRIPTION: Appropriates funds to DLNR/OI for fish hatchery on Molokai

MEASURE: HB2826 ---- SB3147
RELATING TO: FISH BREEDING ON MOLOKAI
DESCRIPTION: Appropriates funds to DLNR/OI for fish hatchery on Molokai

MEASURE: HB2997
RELATING TO: AQUACULTURE
DESCRIPTION: Increases the max. loan lending amounts to the DOA Aquaculture Loan Fund

MEASURE: SB2099
RELATING TO: PLANT & ANIMAL QUARANTINE
Decreases the turn around time for Conditionally Approved applications to 3 days

MEASURE: SB2362
RELATING TO: PLANT & ANIMAL QUARANTINE
DESCRIPTION: Decreases the turn around time for Conditionally Approved applications to 3 days

There are also bills held over from 1999 that can become active, including:

MEASURE: HB946 ---- SB1427
RELATING TO: AQUACULTURE
DESCRIPTION: Expands wholesale excise tax (1/2%) to include aquaculture

MEASURE: HB946 ---- SB1427
RELATING TO: AQUACULTURE
DESCRIPTION: Expands wholesale excise tax (1/2%) to include aquaculture

MEASURE: SB759
RELATING TO: AQUACULTURE
DESCRIPTION: Provides funds for the development of the ornamental fish industry

MEASURE: SB522
RELATING TO: IMPORTATION OF ALIEN SPECIES
DESCRIPTION: Imposes 2 year moratorium on all imports

NOTE

ADP and the Hawaii Aquaculture Association are currently monitoring the bills listed above. This list may not contain all the bills of interest to you. We will update the list as other bills of importance to the industry come to our attention.

If you have Internet access, you can check on the progress of these bills and other legislative activity by visiting do the Legislature web site. Click the "Status & Documents" link and fill in the appropriate blanks or follow additional links. Be informed!

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