THE SENATE

THE TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE

REGULAR SESSION OF 2007

 

COMMITTEE ON WATER, LAND, AGRICULTURE, AND HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS

Senator Russell S. Kokubun, Chair

Senator Jill N. Tokuda, Vice Chair

 

NOTICE OF HEARING

 

DATE:

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

TIME:

2:15 pm

PLACE:

Conference Room 414

State Capitol

415 South Beretania Street

 

A G E N D A

 

HB 408

HD2

(HSCR1136)

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Prohibits any industrial, commercial, or residential development or infrastructure serving the development within          feet from the property line of any parcel on which bona fide farming operations have been conducted for at least       years prior to the development. (HB408 HD2)

 

WAH, IGM

HB 1114

HD2

(HSCR1012)

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Amends agribusiness development corporation law to refocus and direct the role of the corporation to one of taking control of infrastructure from closing large crop plantation operations and converting the infrastructure for use by multiple diversified agricultural enterprises.  Removes department of agriculture's oversight of the corporation.  Restores procurement code exemption to agribusiness development corporation. (HB1114 HD2)

 

WAH, WAM

HB 1220

HD1

(HSCR1123)

RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL MARKETING.

Establishes a special fund to collect revenues from the Hawaii Seal of Quality program.  (HB1220 HD1)

 

WAH, WAM

HB 1221

HD2

(HSCR1014)

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Creates a livestock revitalization program to reimburse poultry, hog, and dairy farms for feed expenses.  Appropriates unspecified sums in each year of the fiscal biennium for the program.  (HB1221 HD2)

 

WAH, WAM

HB 1219

(HSCR843)

RELATING TO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LOANS.

Increases the amount of money for agricultural loans and aquacultural loans that the chairperson may approve from $25,000 to $75,000.

 

WAH, WAM

HB 1222

HD2

(HSCR1095)

RELATING TO LOANS FOR AGRICULTURAL AND AQUACULTURE PURPOSES.

Increases aquaculture loan limits for Class A & B loans to $800,000.  Reduces credit denial requirements of the aquacultural loan program to more closely conform to the agricultural loan program.  Creates a Class E loan program for new aquaculturists.  Repeals the aquaculture loan revolving fund and makes the agricultural loan revolving fund the funding source for aquaculture loans. Combines the existing aquaculture loan revolving fund expenditure ceiling with the agricultural loan revolving fund expenditure ceiling.  (HB1222 HD2)

 

WAH, WAM

HB 1628

HD1

(HSCR872)

RELATING TO HAWAII MACADAMIA NUT PRODUCT LABELING.

Requires products with labels representing that a portion of the macadamia nuts in the package was grown in Hawaii, to specify the percentage of Hawaiian-grown macadamia nuts.  Prohibits labeling that incorrectly represents that any of the macadamia nuts contained in the package were grown in Hawaii.  (HB1628 HD1)

 

WAH, CPH

HB 1640

(HSCR840)

RELATING TO PERMITS.

Requires the Department of Health to establish and implement procedures to give priority processing of permit applications and renewals for agricultural processing facilities that process crops or livestock from an agri-business with a majority of the lands held, owned, or used by the agri-business identified and designated as important agricultural lands.

 

WAH, WAM

Decision Making to follow, if time permits.

 

Persons wishing to testify should submit testimony in one of the following ways at least 24 hours prior to the hearing:

 

·         In person:25 copies of their testimony to the committee clerk, Room 407, State Capitol.

 

·         By fax:  Testimony may be faxed if less than 5 pages in length, to the Senate Sergeant-At-Arms Office at 586-6659 or 1-800-586-6659 (toll free for neighbor islands), at least 24 hours prior to the hearing.  When faxing, please indicate to which committee the testimony is being submitted, the date and time of the hearing, and the number of copies needed for submittal.

 

·         By Email:  Testimony may be emailed if less than 5 pages in length, to the Legislature's Public Access Room at testimony@capitol.hawaii.gov.  Please indicate to which committee the testimony is being submitted, the date and time of the hearing, and the number of copies needed for submittal.  In addition, please provide the testifier's name and mailing address in the email.  Email sent to individual offices or any other Senate office will not be accepted.

 

If you require special assistance or auxiliary aids or services to participate in the public hearing process (i.e., sign language interpreter or wheelchair accessibility), please contact the committee clerk 24 hours prior to the hearing so arrangements can be made.

 

Public Folder.  A folder labeled “Public Folder” containing the measures and testimonies for the hearing will be available for shared use by members of the public.

 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL THE COMMITTEE CLERK AT 586-6760.

 

 

________________________________________

Senator Russell S. Kokubun

Chair