STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2620

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2292

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2292 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds to be expended by the Agribusiness Development Corporation for irrigation infrastructure at the former Galbraith Estate.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Agribusiness Development Corporation, the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, the Local Food Coalition, and the Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii.  The Department of Budget and Finance submitted written comments on the measure.

     Your Committee finds that the State recently acquired large tracts of undeveloped land from the Galbraith Estate for agricultural use.  Infrastructure for smaller agricultural operations is now needed.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount;

(2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(3)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for clarity and style.

     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 S.B. No. 2292, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2292, S.D. 1.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair