STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1630-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   S.B. No. 2217

      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 Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2217, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to ensure that agricultural crops on the island of Kauai receive a steady and dependable supply of water by appropriating funds for the operation, repair, maintenance, and improvement of the East Kauai Irrigation System by the East Kauai Water Users' Cooperative.

The East Kauai Water Users' Cooperative, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Saiva Siddhanta Church, Kalepa Koalition, and Larry Jefts Farms, LLC provided testimony in support of the measure.  The Department of Agriculture provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended the measure by:

     (1)  Deleting the preamble; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

     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 S.B. No. 2217, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2217, S.D. 2, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair