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Committee approves bill recognizing coconut trees as food source and cultural resource, adds signage and seed-bank rules
Summary
Lawmakers passed SP2925 with amendments to recognize coconuts as food and water sources, set seed-bank rules, require signage distinguishing landscape palms, and create an income tax credit; public testimony stressed cultural and subsistence importance and management of coconut rhinoceros beetle.
A joint Senate committee voted on Feb. 11 to advance SP2925 with amendments that defer the effective date and adjust implementation details. The bill recognizes coconut trees as a source of food and water and as a cultural treasure, directs the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to establish seed-bank rules, requires signage for landscape palms, and establishes an income tax credit for consumable coconut trees maintained through natural management.
Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity staff changed their position from opposition to comments and stood available for questions (SEG 505–510). Testimony from community members and practitioners emphasized the cultural and subsistence role of coconut trees and described local efforts to manage coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB). Daniel Anthony, a practitioner and manager of an on-the-ground CRB response effort, said the bill would give communities "some leverage to be able to more effectively ... deal with the coconut rhinoceros beetle" and stressed the need for seed banks to preserve edible varieties (SEG 601–616; SEG 718–731). He described using natural deterrents and the fungus Metarhizium as effective tools, noting registration challenges in Hawaii.
The committee adopted an amendment deferring the effective date to July 1, 2050, and otherwise recommended passage with technical fixes and clarifying language about enforcement and signage. Members asked the department about enforcement procedures for required signage and about the tax-credit percentage; the department said signage enforcement would be handled by the Pesticides Branch on an ad hoc basis and that details on the tax credit percentage were not specified in testimony but could be provided later (SEG 645–697).
Next steps: Committee staff will insert agreed technical amendments and follow up with the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to clarify enforcement and tax-credit details for the committee report.
Votes: The committee recommended passing SP2925 with amendments and deferred effective dates as noted.
