Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 365, H.D. 2, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish civil liability for perpetrators who wilfully and knowingly damage or destroy any crop, including silvicultural crops, or agricultural commodity grown for personal, commercial, or research and development purposes.

Your Committee received testimony in favor of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Kauai County Farm Bureau, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, Pineapple Growers of Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, Hawaiian Alliance for Responsible Technology and Science, Hawaii Forest Industry Association, and Maui County Farm Bureau.

Your Committee finds that there has been increasing crop vandalism, destruction, and theft. Frequent targets of these actions have been agricultural biotechnology research sites, which conduct valuable research to produce higher yields, develop new disease resistant varieties, and improve quality. Your Committee believes that this measure will deter further deliberate and malicious damage to agricultural products in the State.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 365, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.