STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2618

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2435

       S.D. 2

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. 2435, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to give preference to using any moneys deposited into the agricultural development and food security special fund from the environmental response, energy, and food security tax to acquire real property for agricultural production or processing activities.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of the measure from one individual.  The Department of Agriculture submitted written comments.

     Your Committee finds that the Hawaii's overreliance on imported foods has threatened the State's food sustainability and economy.  Your Committee also notes that the Legislature has made efforts to ensure that local agriculture has necessary resources, such as access and leases to land, infrastructure, and water.  Your Committee believes that by giving a preference for the use of moneys to acquire real property for agricultural production or processing activities, this measure furthers the Hawaii constitution's mandate that the State conserve and protect agricultural lands, promote diversified agriculture, increase agricultural self-sufficiency, and ensure the availability of agriculturally suitable lands.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

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

     (2)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, 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. 2435, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2435, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair