HB 746 Summary

• Designates the Department of Land and Natural Resources as the lead agency for preventing introduction 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 percent of the port entry fee on all vessels paying port entry fees when entering Hawaii harbors.

• Appropriates $239,376 for fiscal year 2019-2020 and $478,752 for fiscal year 2020-2021 for eight new department positions including biologists, a program specialist, and a general professional to conduct inspections, monitoring, 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 enforce aquatic biosecurity laws.

• Appropriates $24,474 for fiscal year 2019-2020 and $48,948 for fiscal year 2020-2021 for one accountant position to manage assessment and collection of the biosecurity risk assessment fee, plus $540,000 and $400,000 respectively for operating expenditures including laboratory work and equipment.