STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2204

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2454

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Agriculture, Higher Education, and Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 2454 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a task force to determine whether a state-established regulatory regime should be established to address the agricultural use of genetically modified organisms.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, University of Hawaii, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, and The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from IMUAlliance and five individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from Babes Against Biotech.

     Your Committees find that the use of genetically modified organisms is a polarizing issue for Hawaii residents.  Differing views and emotions surrounding the issue make it difficult for lawmakers to determine a prudent and responsible way to address the public's concerns regarding the use, regulation, or prohibition of genetically modified organisms.  Accordingly, this measure brings together different stakeholders to examine the issue in a deliberate and objective manner.

     After hearing testimony, your Committees note that the task force may want to include additional stakeholders such as papaya farmers, organic farmers, and small farmers growing genetically modified crops.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Replacing the Dean of the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources with the Vice President for Research and Innovation at the University of Hawaii, as a member and chairperson of the task force;

     (2)  Clarifying that the task force should develop recommendations for state regulations regarding genetically modified organisms only if the task force deems a regulatory regime necessary;

     (3)  Providing the task force with discretion to add additional members to the task force; and

     (4)  Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency. 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture, Higher Education, and Judiciary and Labor that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2454, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2454, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture, Higher Education, and Judiciary and Labor,

____________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair	____________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair
	____________________________ CLAYTON HEE, Chair