S.B. 607 Summary

• Establishes a permanent weed and seed strategy within the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations' Office of Community Services to reduce crime and improve neighborhood quality of life through collaborative community-based efforts.

• Creates an advisory committee exempt from section 26-34, composed of representatives from federal agencies (U.S. Attorney's Office, DEA, HUD), state agencies, county agencies, and community organizations to guide the strategy.

• Requires the advisory committee to submit annual reports to the legislature and governor no later than 20 days before each regular legislative session, detailing completed and ongoing projects, funds expended, and relevant data.

• Appropriates unspecified general revenue funds for fiscal years 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 to maintain weed and seed programs in currently designated areas (Ala Moana, Chinatown, downtown Honolulu, Kalihi, Waipahu, and Ewa Beach) and expand to other state areas, conditioned on obtaining federal funding.

• Takes effect July 1, 2017.