STAND. COM. REP. NO.  568-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 502

      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 Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 502 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO IRRIGATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide additional funding needed for improvements to irrigation systems throughout the State.

Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, Hawaii Farm Bureau, MauiGrown Coffee, Inc., Maui County Farm Bureau, Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, and some individuals provided testimony in support of this measure.  The Department of Agriculture provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting the lapsing provision; and

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 502, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 502, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair