STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3132

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1988

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1988, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MACADAMIA NUTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to make an appropriation to establish a Macadamia Nut Commission to collect a mandatory assessment on macadamia nut processors and producers to achieve certain marketing and promotional objectives of the macadamia nut industry in Hawaii.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Macadamia Nut Association.  The Department of Agriculture submitted comments regarding this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting its content and replacing it with language that appropriates funds for the Department of Agriculture to undertake a study to review successful agricultural commissions in other jurisdictions in order to develop the best structure for a proposed Hawaii Macadamia Nut Commission.  The replacement language further sets forth the issues to be addressed in the study and requires that a report of the findings be submitted to the Legislature.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1988, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1988, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

JILL TOKUDA, Chair