STAND. COM. REP. NO. 34

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1877

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1877 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO IMPORTANT AGRICULTURAL LANDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this short form measure is to amend the law relating to important agricultural lands.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by replacing its contents with language that:

     (1)  Exempts owners of real property designated as important agricultural lands from paying real property taxes, and makes an appropriation to the counties to offset any revenues lost as a result of exempting land owners of important agricultural lands from real property taxation; and

     (2)  Allows farmers to develop, construct, and maintain dwelling units for farmers, employees, and their families on lands designated as important agricultural lands; provided that the farmer complies with certain conditions.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1877, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1877, S.D. 1, and be recommitted to the Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs, for further consideration.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

RUSSELL S. KOKUBUN, Chair