STAND. COM. REP. NO.  763-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 2468

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2468 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL FACILITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to continue to support agriculture as an economic driver in the State, particularly for the island of Hawaii, by:

(1)  Authorizing the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, to perform studies and analysis relating to the establishment of one or more facilities on the island of Hawaii for quarantine inspection and treatment and handling of incoming and outgoing commodities;

(2)  Requiring the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to submit a report to the Legislature on the studies and analysis; and

(3)  Appropriating funds for the planning, marketing, and economic analysis.

The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Department of Agriculture; Hawaii Farm Bureau; and the Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association testified in support of the measure.

     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. 2468 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair