STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2685

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 3048

       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 Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 3048, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN HOMES COMMISSION ACT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to increase the loan ceiling for agricultural and ranch operations on Hawaiian home lands from $50,000 to $200,000.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

     Your Committee finds that the costs of farming and ranching far exceed the amounts of available loans under the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, and this creates a barrier to implementing successful farming and ranching operations.  Accordingly, your Committee finds that the proposed increase of the ceiling on agricultural and ranching loans will facilitate successful ranching and farming operations on Hawaiian home lands.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3048, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair