STAND. COM. REP. NO.  646

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 823

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 823, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL THEFT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to increase the safety and sustainability of the agricultural industry in Hawaii by establishing a two-year Agricultural Theft Pilot Project to focus on investigating and prosecuting agricultural theft and vandalism in the County of Hawaii and appropriating funds for this purpose.

The Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, County of Hawaii; Department of Agriculture; Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii; Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council; a Councilmember of Hawaii County District 9; Syngenta Hawaii; and two concerned individuals testified in support of this measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 823, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair