STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2931

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2429

       H.D. 1

       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. 2429, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to allow ex officio members of the Board of Agriculture to designate a representative to attend board meetings when the ex officio member is unable to attend.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Land and Natural Resources, and Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation.

Your Committee finds that the Board of Agriculture is made up of ten members, three of which are ex officio voting members:  the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources; Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; and Dean of the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources.  Often times, the busy schedules of these voting ex officio members make it extremely difficult for them to attend board meetings.  This measure will allow these ex officio members to designate representatives to attend board meetings in their place, which will increase the productivity and efficiency of the Board of Agriculture.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by adding a purpose section to clarify that:

     (1)  While the intent of this measure is to provide flexibility, it is not the intent of your Committee that that the ex officio voting members rely solely on the attendance of their designated representatives in carrying out their statutory duty to serve on the Board of Agriculture; and

     (2)  On occasions where a designated representative attends a meeting on behalf of the ex officio voting member, the designated representative should be a person who has the agricultural background and experience necessary to actively participate in the discussion and decision making of the Board of Agriculture.

     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. 2429, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2429, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair