STAND. COM. REP. NO.  887

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   H.B. No. 866

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 866, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to protect Hawaii's bee population by, among other things:

     (1)  Allowing beekeepers to register with the Department of Agriculture (DOA);

     (2)  Requiring that the name and business address of each registrant be made publicly available;

     (3)  Stipulating that the registrations be effective for a period of one year;

     (4)  Appropriating $350,000 to establish an apiary program in DOA, including four permanent apiary positions; and

     (5)  Requiring DOA to submit a report to the Legislature on the effectiveness of the beekeeper registration program in keeping accurate statistics on the beekeeping industry.

     DOA and the Kauai County Farm Bureau testified in support of this bill.  The Office of Information Practices provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Changing the appropriation for the establishment of an apiary program within DOA from $350,000 to an unspecified amount; and

     (2)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2030, to encourage further discussion.

     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. 866, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 866, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair