SUPPORT SB2760, SB2048, SB2488: Strengthen Invasive Species Response
/Three common-sense and much-needed measures to boost Hawaiʻi’s biosecurity framework need your support! Please take a moment now to submit testimony on one or all of the bills below, and help secure stronger protections for our food systems, natural resources, cultural practices, and ways of life from the generations-long impacts of invasive pests.
Tomorrow, Wednesday, February 11 at 10am, the Senate Committees on Agriculture and the Environment and Commerce and Consumer Protection will hear SB2760 and SB2048. These measures address long-standing gaps in Hawaiʻi’s biosecurity framework and will help mitigate the ongoing and future impacts of invasive species on our native ecosystems, cultural practices, food security, public health, economy, and overall quality of life.
Later that day, at 1pm, the Senate Committees on Water, Land, Culture and the Arts and Agriculture and Environment will hear SB2488, which would allow the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council (HISC) and its partners to continue and expand their vital role in Hawaiʻi’s biosecurity strategy, and avoid looming disruptions that may soon occur under current law.
What these bills do
SB2760 proposes a suite of practical, much-needed fixes to fill longstanding gaps in the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity’s (DAB’s) statutory authorities. It expands the entities who DAB should work with on our wide range of biosecurity issues, expands the types of potential pest host material DAB can regulate, and extends the validity of interim biosecurity rules from one year to two—ensuring needed emergency protections remain in place while permanent rules are developed.
SB2048 prohibits the sale of invasive pests or products infested with pests. This measure clarifies DAB’s authority and responsibility to intervene before the sale of infested plants, mulch, or other materials leads to another invasive species crisis.
SB2488—similar to HB1601—restores HISC funding back to the Department of Land and Natural Resources, where HISC housed, rather than DAB, which does not have the experience, expertise, or staff capacity to administer these funds - especially on top of its many other new biosecurity responsibilities it is struggling to uphold. This bill also creates a dedicated executive director position for HISC, whose ability to fully focus on our biosecurity needs would supercharge HISC’s ability to fulfill its mission.
Why these bills are important
For years, DAB (previously the Department of Agriculture) has cited a lack of authority and clarity as reasons for slow or inadequate response to invasive species threats. This has contributed to the multiple, simultaneous invasive species crises we are now experiencing across the islands, including little fire ants, coconut rhinoceros beetles, coqui frogs, and others.
SB2760 and SB2048 address many of these challenges by clarifying responsibilities, expanding regulatory authority over pests and infested materials, and allowing interim rules to remain in effect long enough to be meaningful—especially given how long it often takes to adopt permanent rules.
SB2488 corrects a funding shift made last year that redirected HISC funds from DLNR to DAB, creating a significant risk of funding delays and even indefinite disruptions to critical biosecurity efforts. DAB has no experience administering these funds, and continues to face staffing and capacity challenges in implementing its historical and new biosecurity responsibilities. As a result, there is a real and significant risk that DAB’s administration of HISC funds may result in funds not being distributed in a timely manner, or at all, to critical programs, including the island invasive species committees, 643PEST.org, and the Plant Pono Program. By restoring funding to DLNR and establishing an executive director position to work full-time on facilitating HISC’s mission, SB2488 protects and strengthens HISC’s ability to coordinate biosecurity actions and respond quickly and effectively to new and ongoing invasive species threats.
Sample testimony for SB2760
Aloha Chairs Gabbard and Keohokālole, Vice Chairs Richards and Fukunaga, and members of the Committees,
My name is [Name], and I am writing in strong support of SB2760.
Invasive plants, animals, and diseases have already caused immense harm across Hawaiʻi—damaging watersheds, threatening native species, undermining cultural practices, and impacting food security, public health, and our economy. Once invasive species become established, the damage is often irreversible, making prevention and rapid response absolutely essential.
SB2760 addresses long-standing gaps in the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity’s authority by clarifying who the department can work with, expanding its ability to regulate high-risk materials that spread invasive species, and allowing interim biosecurity rules to remain in effect long enough to be meaningful. These are common-sense fixes that will help agencies act more quickly and effectively to stop invasive species before it is too late.
At a time when Hawaiʻi is facing multiple invasive species crises, SB2760 will help ensure that our biosecurity system is proactive rather than reactive, and that agencies have the tools they need to protect our ʻāina, waters, and communities.
I respectfully urge you to PASS SB2760.
Mahalo nui for the opportunity to testify.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Sample testimony for SB2048
Aloha Chairs Gabbard and Keohokālole, Vice Chairs Richards and Fukunaga, and members of the Committees,
My name is [Name], and I am writing in strong support of SB2048.
Hawaiʻi’s history has shown us how devastating invasive species can be once they become established. Invasive pests have harmed our native ecosystems, threatened food security, increased pesticide use, and damaged cultural practices and livelihoods across the islands. Preventing the spread of invasive species at the point of sale is one of the most effective ways to stop new infestations before they cause irreversible harm.
SB2048 would prohibit the sale of invasive pests or products infested with pests, such as plants and mulch. The sale of infested materials has played a significant role in the spread of destructive pests like little fire ants and coconut rhinoceros beetles, yet the Department of Agriculture still has not adopted rules to make this highly harmful conduct illegal. This bill makes clear that the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity has both the authority and responsibility to intervene before unscrupulous business practices lead to yet another invasive species crisis.
I respectfully urge you to PASS SB2048 to protect Hawaiʻi’s environment, agriculture, public health, and communities.
Mahalo nui for the opportunity to testify.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Sample testimony for SB2488
Aloha Chairs Lee and Gabbard, Vice Chairs Inouye and Richards, and members of the Committees,
My name is [Name], and I am writing in strong support of SB2488.
This bill would restore funding for the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council to the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), where the Council is housed and where such funding has been successfully administered for years, while also adding much-needed capacity to the council by establishing an executive director position.
DLNR and its dedicated staff have the experience and expertise to ensure that Hawai'i Invasive Species Committee (HISC) funds get to the programs that we depend on, to protect our homes, farms, lands, and waters from invasive pests. These include the highly effective island invasive species committees, 643PEST.org, the Hawaiʻi Weed Risk Assessment, and the Plant Pono Program, among others.
In contrast, the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB) has limited expertise in the breadth of HISC’s work, continues to struggle with implementing the new authorities and staff positions it was given last year, and has a track record of inadequately administering biosecurity funding and ignoring invasive species threats generally. Having DAB administer FY26-27 HISC funds on top of DAB’s current challenges, a change that was enacted last year, would only hinder HISC’s partners and programs with potential funding disruptions and bureaucracy - at a time when Hawaiʻi’s biosecurity crises need faster responses, not undue delays.
Placing HISC funds back in the DLNR would ensure continuity in HISC’s and its partners’ efforts, and avoid disruptions to our biosecurity framework that we simply cannot afford.
Lastly, this bill would also strengthen HISC by creating a dedicated executive director position. A full-time director would ensure that HISC has staff that can focus fully on its mission, including by coordinating work between meetings, representing HISC in key discussions, and otherwise ensuring invasive species response efforts move quickly and effectively.
SB2488 will both protect and give a critically-needed, timely boost to our islands’ ability to address our invasive species crises. I urge you to please PASS this measure.
Mahalo nui for the opportunity to testify.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Testimony instructions
Register for a capitol website account if you haven’t yet (youʻll need to confirm your registration by responding to an automated email)
Sign in to capitol.hawaii.gov with your registration information and click the "Submit Testimony" button.
Enter "SB2760", “SB2048”, “SB2488” where it says "Enter Bill or Measure."
Input your information and your written testimony, select your testimony option(s)—in-person + written, remotely + written, written only. Please consider providing verbal testimony (in-person or remotely) if you are able!
Note: Virtual testimony option may be disabled 24 hours before the hearing.
If you are testifying via Zoom, be sure to review these instructions (page 4)