STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1605-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   S.B. No. 2294

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

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 S.B. No. 2294, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO IRRIGATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide a reliable irrigation system to ensure that Hawaii's crops receive a steady and dependable supply of water by authorizing the issuance of general obligation bonds in an unspecified amount for capital improvements to irrigation systems and associated agricultural management facilities in the State.

The Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation; Local Food Coalition; Sugarland Growers, Inc.; Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii; and the Hawaii Cattlemen's Council supported this measure.  The Department of Budget and Finance, Department of Agriculture, and the Agribusiness Development Corporation commented on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Making the appropriation apply to an unspecified fiscal year to facilitate further discussion; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     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 S.B. No. 2294, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2294, S.D. 2, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair