Senators at the joint hearing on Jan. 31 considered Senate Bill 686, which would establish a short-term management initiative and appropriate funds for the coconut rhinoceros beetle response program. Witnesses representing state agencies, research institutions and community groups said state funding is needed because federal emergency support is diminishing.

Cameron Fujimoto, acting plant pest control branch manager for the Hawaii Department of Agriculture, said the department "stands on its written testimony and strong support of this measure." University of Hawaii representatives also testified in support, noting that federal funding is at risk. Stephanie Easley of the Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species said federal support has "strings" and that state funds would allow response teams to operate on all islands; she asked the committee to add Kauai to islands listed in the bill.

Why it matters: Testifiers said CRB has devastated ornamental and native palms, threatened local food supplies and raised significant removal and disposal costs for homeowners and public agencies. Krista Lane, a North Shore resident, said she faced a $3,000-per-tree removal cost for tall palms and that local infestations create nests that could spread to other islands.

Funding and proposed uses: Committee discussion summarized funding line items in the bill: $15,000 for training tree trimmers; $160,000 for subsidizing residential canopy treatments; funds to expand rapid-response teams; $250,000 for canine inspection capacity; support for container fumigation subsidies; and approximately $200,000 in full‑time-equivalent positions for biocontrol research, according to the committee chair's statements. Witnesses and county council representatives urged the committee to ensure appropriations can be used statewide and to add Kauai to the program's geographic coverage.

Questions and agency readiness: Senators pressed Department of Agriculture staff on how much state money remains available for CRB work and whether the department could manage program components; acting DOA staff asked for time to gather precise budget figures. University researchers said they could manage certain outreach and contracting tasks but did not commit to absorbing all program functions should DOA be unable to execute them.

Ending: The committee heard requests to add Kauai to the bill's coverage and for more detailed budget information from DOA; no vote took place during the hearing and committee decision making was scheduled separately.