CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 96-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2016

RE:    H.B. No. 2657

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

       C.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 2657, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to financially assist Molokai farmers and ranchers in complying with federal and state food safety laws by:

     (1)  Converting the Molokai Diversified Agricultural Revolving Loan Program, established by Act 387, Session Laws of Hawaii 1988, to a cost reimbursement program that provides reimbursements to Molokai farmers and ranchers for mandated food safety compliance audits and other related costs; and

     (2)  Appropriating funds to the Maui Office of Economic Development to review and approve cost reimbursement applications.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1)  Deleting the appropriation for the Maui Office of Economic Development to review and approve cost reimbursement applications;

(2)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2016; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2657, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2657, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair	____________________________ CLIFT TSUJI, Co-Chair
____________________________ J. KALANI ENGLISH, Co-Chair	____________________________ DEREK S.K. KAWAKAMI, Co-Chair
	____________________________ RICHARD H.K. ONISHI, Co-Chair