STAND. COM. REP. NO.2331
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2002
RE: S.B. No. 2931
S.D. 1
Honorable Robert Bunda
President of the Senate
Twenty-First State Legislature
Regular Session of 2002
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 2931 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR VARIOUS STATE IRRIGATION SYSTEMS,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for various capital improvement projects for irrigation systems throughout the State.
Testimony supporting this measure was received from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, and Pineapple Growers Association of Hawaii. Ka Lahui Hawaii submitted testimony opposing a specific portion of this measure.
Your Committee finds that the agriculture industry represents a significant portion of Hawaii's economy. Since the initiation of diversification of Hawaii's agriculture industry, new farming enterprises are sprouting throughout the State. Unfortunately, the State's irrigation systems have not been adequately maintained and they may not be prepared to support Hawaii's growing agriculture industry. In some cases, the irrigation systems are failing to meet the minimum needs of current agricultural enterprises. The purpose of this measure is to provide the funds necessary to repair, renovate, and rehabilitate the State's irrigation systems to increase their efficiency and capacity to support Hawaii's growing agriculture industry.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Appropriating an additional $45,000,000 for improvements to existing agricultural water infrastructure, including, but not limited to renovating, rehabilitating, replacing, improving, converting, and updating the irrigation water delivery systems of existing agricultural regions in the counties of Kauai, Maui, Hawaii, and the city and county of Honolulu, together with temporary relief subsidies for the operational costs of these agricultural systems; provided that $5,000,000, shall be for federal aid financing or reimbursement;
(2) Changing the source of funding for the capital improvements from general revenues to the issuance of general obligation bonds; and
(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for purposes of style and clarity.
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 S.B. No. 2931, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2931, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture,
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____________________________ JAN YAGI BUEN, Chair |
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