CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP

CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 139-04

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: H.B. No. 2009

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 2009, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND MARKET DEVELOPMENT,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this bill is to:

(1) Help keep Hawaii's agricultural industry competitive in the global market by appropriating funds for the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation to pursue efforts in agricultural research and market development;

(2) Help diversify Hawaii's economy and ensure a sustainable environment by appropriating funds for the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at the University of Hawaii (CTAHR) to continue its various research and instructional programs; and

(3) Support efforts to clean Hawaii's waterways of contaminants and sediments using natural, noninvasive, and less costly methods by requiring CTAHR to submit:

(a) An interim report to the Legislature of findings from its bioremediation research;

(b) An evaluation of the feasibility of scaling up the technology used in bioremediation efforts; and

Your Committee on Conference has amended this bill by:

(1) Removing language in the purpose section relating to CTAHR's research of:

(a) Health, nutrition, and obesity prevention for Hawaii residents; and

(b) Bioremediation;

(2) Clarifying that funds appropriated to CTAHR will be used to continue its various research programs and help Hawaii diversify its economy;

(3) Inserting an appropriation amount of $500,000 for the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation;

(4) Inserting an appropriation amount of $500,000 for CTAHR;

(5) No longer requiring CTAHR to submit to the Legislature reports or an evaluation relating to bioremediation; and

(6) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2009, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2009, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ RUSSELL KOKUBUN, Co-Chair		_____________________________ FELIPE P. ABINSAY, JR., Co-Chair
____________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Co-Chair		_____________________________ DWIGHT Y. TAKAMINE, Co-Chair