Committee advances bill to keep Hawaii Invasive Species Council funding aligned with DLNR while transfer is staged
January 31, 2026 | House Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems, House of Representatives, Legislative , Hawaii
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Chair Corey Chun’s House Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems advanced HB1601 on Jan. 30, a bill addressing how state funding for the Hawaii Invasive Species Council (HISC) is handled while management shifts between agencies.
Testifiers from state agencies and grantees urged the committee to avoid a disruptive funding split. Cedric Beets of the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity said his agency “stands on our written testimony in support.” Patrick Chi of the Department of Land and Natural Resources told members that under Act 236 HISC management remains at DLNR until 2030 and that funding is allocated to DLNR for fiscal year 2026 but scheduled to move to DAB in fiscal year 2027, creating a mismatch that “makes sense” to remedy. Stephanie Easley of the Coordinating Group on Alien Species told the committee the current law “creates this sort of impractical, unworkable situation where the staff and projects are at DLNR, but the money’s at a different agency.”
Grantees and local invasive-species committees echoed those concerns. Franny Brewer of the Big Island Invasive Species Committee (University of Hawaiʻi) said the grant-application and review process is “very transparent” under the current DLNR structure and warned that a hasty transfer of funds to a new agency would make administering and awarding grants more difficult. Resident Crystal Chavez argued that funding should stay with DLNR unless DAB can guarantee timely and effective service.
In decision making the chair recommended passing HB1601 as House Draft 1 with an amended effective date to continue technical work. The committee recorded the chair and vice chair voting aye; Representatives Kahalu, Lowen, Peruso, Quinlan and Matsumoto likewise signaled 'aye' and the motion passed.
What happens next: The committee forwarded HB1601 with amendments for further refinement; sponsors and agencies will have additional opportunities to reconcile statutory language, funding-year timing and implementation details before later floor action.
Testifiers from state agencies and grantees urged the committee to avoid a disruptive funding split. Cedric Beets of the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity said his agency “stands on our written testimony in support.” Patrick Chi of the Department of Land and Natural Resources told members that under Act 236 HISC management remains at DLNR until 2030 and that funding is allocated to DLNR for fiscal year 2026 but scheduled to move to DAB in fiscal year 2027, creating a mismatch that “makes sense” to remedy. Stephanie Easley of the Coordinating Group on Alien Species told the committee the current law “creates this sort of impractical, unworkable situation where the staff and projects are at DLNR, but the money’s at a different agency.”
Grantees and local invasive-species committees echoed those concerns. Franny Brewer of the Big Island Invasive Species Committee (University of Hawaiʻi) said the grant-application and review process is “very transparent” under the current DLNR structure and warned that a hasty transfer of funds to a new agency would make administering and awarding grants more difficult. Resident Crystal Chavez argued that funding should stay with DLNR unless DAB can guarantee timely and effective service.
In decision making the chair recommended passing HB1601 as House Draft 1 with an amended effective date to continue technical work. The committee recorded the chair and vice chair voting aye; Representatives Kahalu, Lowen, Peruso, Quinlan and Matsumoto likewise signaled 'aye' and the motion passed.
What happens next: The committee forwarded HB1601 with amendments for further refinement; sponsors and agencies will have additional opportunities to reconcile statutory language, funding-year timing and implementation details before later floor action.
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