House committee approves two‑year pilot to combat two‑line spittlebug

The House Agriculture Committee on March 20 approved SB2321 SD1, establishing a two‑year two‑line spittlebug response pilot program to mitigate spread and requiring reports to the legislature. The committee adopted an amendment setting a pilot end date of June 30, 2028 and passed the bill out of committee by voice vote.

Testimony from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity and the Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species (CGAPS) stressed the need for funding: Stephanie Easley of CGAPS told the committee the Plant Pest Control Branch is small and the two‑year program should produce a management plan that other affected ranchers can use. "One of the things that's supposed to come out of the two‑year program is a management plan which hopefully could then be used by other people who are impacted," Easley said.

Nicole Galassi and other ranch representatives described the outbreak's economic toll. "Ranchers are currently spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to keep this invasive species under control," Galassi said, and testified that the pest has spread beyond its original infestation area, increasing urgency for state support.

The committee noted prior appropriations used for research since the pest’s discovery in 2016, and members highlighted that research has improved understanding of life cycles and timing for interventions as the pest appears in new locations. The measure includes funding for response activities and reporting requirements to track outcomes.

After discussion the committee passed the bill with amendments and sent it forward with a June 30, 2028 pilot end date. The chair and vice chair voted in the affirmative during the voice vote and committee members verbally registered "I"; the measure moves on for further consideration with the adopted pilot timeline.