STAND. COM. REP. NO.  586-16

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2595

      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 Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 2595 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE AND APPROPRIATION OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS FOR AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to improve agricultural water systems and assist their owners to carry out much need improvements to address the impacts of drought by authorizing the issuance of general obligation bonds and appropriating funds for, among other things, the costs of system optimization; planning, environmental, and legal support; and project and construction management for specified irrigations systems in the State.

 

     The Agribusiness Development Corporation, Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, Ulupono Initiative, Hawaii Farm Bureau, and Larry Jefts Farms, LLC supported this measure.  The Department of Agriculture supported the intent of this measure.  The Department of Budget and Finance submitted comments on this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to January 20, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

 

     Should the Committee on Finance deliberate on this measure further, your Committee on Agriculture respectfully requests that it determine what amounts are needed for each irrigation system.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2595, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2595, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

CLIFT TSUJI, Chair