STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2926

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1942

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 1942, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Allow monies in the pest inspection, quarantine, and eradication fund to be expended for the electronic importer manifest program of the Department of Agriculture; and

     (2)  Make an appropriation in an unspecified amount to the Department of Agriculture from the pest inspection, quarantine, and eradication fund to implement the electronic importer manifest program.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, The Nature Conservancy, and Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation.

     Your Committee finds that this measure will support the Department of Agriculture's efforts to make agricultural inspection more efficient and cost effective.  In addition, this measure will help expand the Department of Agriculture's technological capacity to help protect Hawaii from invasive species.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an appropriation amount of $200,000.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1942, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1942, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair