HI SB523

Creates the invasive species rapid response special fund to be administered by the Hawaii invasive species council, allowing expenditures without legislative approval upon gubernatorial declaration of an invasive species emergency.

Establishes 10 new full-time equivalent positions within the Department of Land and Natural Resources across multiple islands, including natural area reserves specialists, forestry and wildlife technicians, and foresters.

Adds 4 new full-time equivalent positions to the Department of Agriculture plant quarantine branch: one entomologist III, one plant pathologist, one botanist IV, and one information technology specialist.

Appropriates unspecified sums from general revenues for fiscal years 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 to support invasive species control, research, prevention, outreach, rapid ohia death response, and a coqui frog eradication containment barrier on Maui.

Requires the Department of Agriculture to submit findings and recommendations by twenty days before the 2020 legislative session on feasibility and planning of a biological control research and containment facility.