Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 660 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to authorize general obligation (GO) bonds to fund improvements to agricultural irrigation systems statewide.

The Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Maui County Farm Bureau, Pineapple Growers Association of Hawaii, Maui Cattlemen's Association, and Kula Vista Protea supported this bill. The Department of Agriculture supported the intent of this bill.

Your Committee recognizes the need for improvements to Hawaii's irrigation systems. However, this bill, as received by your Committee, did not identify specific irrigation projects that require assistance.

Upon further review, your Committee has amended this measure by deleting its contents and inserting two capital improvement projects to be financed by GO bonds as follows:

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. 660, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 660, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.