STAND. COM. REP. NO.  773-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 3310

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 3310 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to strengthen and improve the agriculture industry, expand employment opportunities for residents, and stimulate the economy by appropriating an unspecified amount as a grant to the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation to conduct agricultural research and development.

     The Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, Alexander and Baldwin, Inc., Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company, Kauai Coffee Company, Inc., and a concerned individual supported this bill.  The Department of Agriculture and Hawaii Agriculture Research Center submitted comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

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

(2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for clarity, consistency, and 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. 3310, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 3310, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair