STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1124

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 1615

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1615 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SHELLFISH AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to promote the development of a viable, local, shellfish aquaculture industry by appropriating funds to conduct a feasibility and cost study to determine the statutory and administrative rule changes, staffing requirements, laboratory support requirements, research requirements, and training and technical assistance needs, to develop a shellfish aquaculture industry in Hawaii.

     The Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Aquaculture Association, Aquatic Innovations, Cyanotech Corporation, Kona Bay Marine Resources, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Oceanic Institute supported the intent of this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Changing the appropriation amount to an unspecified amount;

(2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2020, to encourage further discussion; and

(3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for style.

     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 H.B. No. 1615, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1615, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair