STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1038-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   S.B. No. 1374

      S.D. 2

      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 S.B. No. 1374, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LAND EXCHANGE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to allow the State to investigate and take other actions toward acquiring agricultural land.  Specifically, this measure:

     (1)  Requires the Governor or the Governor's designee to:

(A)  Negotiate and facilitate land exchanges with Dole Food Company, Inc., in accordance with chapter 171, Hawaii Revised Statutes, for acquiring lands suitable for long-term diversified agricultural production;

(B)  Coordinate with the Agribusiness Development Corporation, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Land and Natural Resources, and any other state department or agency that holds title or an assignment to an appropriate parcel of land to exchange; and

(C)  Report to the Legislature on the feasibility of a land exchange and any appropriation, legislation, or administrative action necessary to accomplish the exchange;

     (2)  Requires that title to any lands that the State acquires through an exchange with Dole Foods, Inc., be transferred to the Agribusiness Development Corporation; and

     (3)  Appropriates $400,000 from the Hawaii Agriculture Development Revolving Fund for investigation and appraisal costs related to the acquisition of lands owned by Dole Food Company, Inc.

The Agribusiness Development Corporation and Hawaii Farm Bureau provided testimony in support of the measure.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and Pacific Agricultural Land Management Systems provided comments.   

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Replacing the Governor or the Governor's designee with the Department of Agriculture;

     (2)  Deleting the appropriation;

     (3)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

     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 S.B. No. 1374, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1374, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Agriculture.

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

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair