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Panel approves study of wild native terrestrial invertebrates after amendment
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Summary
The committee approved HR 66, as amended, directing a study on wild native terrestrial invertebrate management; members debated duplication with House Bill 441, DCNR support, and the economic stakes for agriculture before the measure was reported.
Representative Piali offered an amendment to House Resolution 66 that, according to the sponsor, narrowed the scope of the study at the suggestion of the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee. Staff described HR 66 as directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a study and issue a report on wild native terrestrial invertebrate management.
"The amendment actually delineates the scope of the study, by removing certain requests that were in the original house resolution, at the suggestion of, the legislative budget and finance committee," Representative Piali said. The committee voted to adopt Amendment 2024 before considering the resolution.
Chair Rader expressed concern that the resolution could duplicate work already underway and questioned whether taxpayers should fund another study. He referenced House Bill 441 — described in the hearing as legislation 'regulating the bugs' — and said he did not know what the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) might do with the report’s conclusions. "I do have some concern with because we did pass House Bill 441, regulating the bugs. And I I just don't know why we need to spend more taxpayers' dollars on that," the chair said.
A backer of the resolution, speaking later in the discussion, said DCNR is supportive and that multiple agencies (forestry, fish and game and others) already do pieces of this work; the study, he said, would help identify and coordinate resources. That speaker added that insects are "extremely important to our agricultural economy" and said the annual value at stake was "estimated to be over $250,000,000 annually." The proponent framed the study as an investment in agriculture and a coordination effort that could complement House Bill 441 as it moves through the legislature.
The committee conducted a roll call on HR 66 as amended. The roll call produced a mix of 'aye' and 'no' votes; the chair declared the ayes had it and HR 66, as amended, will be reported to the House.
Next steps: HR 66, as amended, was reported by the committee and will be scheduled for consideration by the full House. The Legislative Budget and Finance Committee is the named body to perform the study and issue its report.
