H.B. 746 Summary

• Designates the Department of Land and Natural Resources as the lead agency for preventing introduction and spread of alien aquatic organisms through regulation of ballast water discharges and hull fouling.

• Requires the department to charge an aquatic biosecurity risk assessment service fee equal to 85% of the port entry fee for all vessels required to pay port entry fees entering state harbors, with fees deposited into the general fund.

• Appropriates $239,376 for fiscal year 2019-2020 and $478,752 for fiscal year 2020-2021 for eight new positions including biologists, a program specialist, and a database manager to conduct biosecurity inspections and compliance testing.

• Appropriates $28,158 for fiscal year 2019-2020 and $56,316 for fiscal year 2020-2021 for one conservation and resources enforcement officer position to support aquatic biosecurity law enforcement.

• Appropriates $24,474 for fiscal year 2019-2020 and $48,948 for fiscal year 2020-2021 for one accountant position to assess, collect, and account for biosecurity fees, plus $540,000 and $400,000 respectively for operating expenditures including laboratory work and equipment.