STAND. COM. REP. NO.  127

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 506

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Economic Development & Business, to which was referred H.B. No. 506 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture to convene a working group to evaluate the procurement process for agricultural products to increase the consumption of locally-grown agricultural products within state institutions.

The Department of Education, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Hawaii Green Growth, and two concerned individuals supported this bill.  The State Procurement Office and Ulupono Initiative supported the intent of this measure.  The Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture commented on this bill.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Economic Development & Business that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 506 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Economic Development & Business,

____________________________ DEREK S.K. KAWAKAMI, Chair

____________________________ CLIFT TSUJI, Chair