STAND. COM. REP. NO.  109

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 935

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Higher Education and Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 935 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to further develop the potential of the aquaculture industry in Hawaii by appropriating funds to pay for the increased costs of, and attract federal funding for, statewide technical assistance provided to the aquaculture industry through the University of Hawaii (UH) Sea Grant Extension Service.

     The Maui Community College Agriculture Program, Kamehameha Schools Maui Campus, Hawaii Aquaculture Association, Aquatic Innovations, Rain Garden Ornamentals, Pacific Aquaculture and Biotechnology LLC, and a concerned individual testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Agriculture and UH Sea Grant College Program supported the intent of this measure.

     Your Committees have amended this bill by:

     (1)  Changing the appropriation to $1 to encourage further              discussion; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity,      consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Higher Education and Agriculture that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 935, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 935, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Higher Education and Agriculture,

____________________________ CLIFT TSUJI, Chair

____________________________ JERRY L. CHANG, Chair