Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2954, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to ensure a viable future for Hawaii's agricultural ventures by providing funding sources and incentives to repair and maintain our aging irrigation systems. Specifically this bill:

The Agribusiness Development Corporation, University of Hawaii's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, Castle and Cook Hawaii, Meadow Gold Dairies, Alexander and Baldwin, C and H Farms, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, East Kauai Water Users' Cooperative, Pineapple Growers Association of Hawaii, Maui County Farm Bureau, Big Island Farm Bureau, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, and Hawaii Agricultural Research Center supported this bill. The Department of Agriculture and Department of Taxation supported the intent of this measure. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Department of Planning and Permitting of the City and County of Honolulu, and Earthjustice opposed this bill. The Department of Budget and Finance and Tax Foundation of Hawaii provided comments.

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2954, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2954, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.