STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2243

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2640

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs and Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2640 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the University of Hawaii, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources for the acquisition of land for its agricultural business incubator and its Poamoho Field Station, and other needs.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the University of Hawaii, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, and one individual.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that the appropriation is made to cover the expenses incurred by the University of Hawaii, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources to move the agribusiness incubator and Poamoho Field Station projects to a proposed site in Kunia, Oahu; and

     (2)  Clarifying that the co-location of new and existing agricultural businesses, the agribusiness incubator, and supporting infrastructure will create synergies that will facilitate the promotion of diversified agriculture and increased agricultural self-sufficiency.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs and Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2640, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2640, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________ NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair

____________________________ JILL TOKUDA, Chair