STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1654

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 399

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 399, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the operating expenses of the Hawaii Association of Conservation Districts.

     Your Committee received comments in support of the measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Department of Agriculture, the Puna Soil and Water Conservation District, the Central Maui Soil and Water Conservation District, the Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, the Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, the Windward Soil and Water Conservation District, the Maui County Farm Bureau, and one individual.

     Your Committee finds that the Hawaii Association of Conservation Districts is not sufficiently funded to operate all sixteen soil and water conservation districts properly.

     Your Committee finds that an appropriation resolves this issue.

     Your Committee amended the measure by changing the appropriation from $500,000 to an unspecified amount to further discussion on this matter.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 399, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 399, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair