STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1140

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 866

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 866, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to help boost Hawaii's beekeeper industry by compiling statistics on the production of queen bees.

     Specifically, this measure:

(1)  Allows beekeepers to register with the Department of Agriculture to provide certain information that is to be kept confidential unless otherwise required by law;

(2)  Appropriates funds to establish an apiary program in the Department of Agriculture; and

(3)  Requires the Department of Agriculture to report to the Legislature prior to the 2013 Regular Session on the effectiveness of beekeeper registration.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from Russell S. Kokubun, Chairperson, Board of Agriculture; and Cary Ploeger-Dizon, President, Big Island Beekeepers Association.

     Your Committee received comments on the measure from Cathy L. Takase, Acting Director, Office of Information Practices.

     Your Committee finds that the exact number of bee colonies in Hawaii remains unknown and previous efforts to compile industry statistics have been futile for competitive reasons.  Allowing beekeepers to register certain information with the Department of Agriculture will allow the State to better compile industry statistics.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by requiring that the Department of Agriculture protect the confidentiality of beekeeper registration information to the extent that the information falls within an exception to disclosure under chapter 92F, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

     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 H.B. No. 866, H.D. 2, S.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, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair