STAND. COM. REP. NO.  612-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 1996

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 1996, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a two-year agricultural theft and vandalism pilot project to focus on investigating and prosecuting agricultural theft and vandalism in the County of Hawaii.

The Department of Agriculture, County of Hawaii Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, W.H. Shipman, Ltd., Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association, Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc., Hawaii Farm Bureau, Land Use Research Foundation, Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United, and an individual provided testimony in support of this measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1996, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair