CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 134-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2018

RE:    H.B. No. 1577

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

       C.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 1577, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMPOSTING,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to assist the State in meeting its Aloha+ Challenge goal of seventy percent waste stream reduction by 2025 by encouraging the use of compost:

     (1)  In Department of Education (DOE) schools by:

          (A)  Establishing a Composting Grant Pilot Project Working Group (Working Group) to develop guidelines, make grant recommendations, and provide oversight for campus composting; and

          (B)  Appropriating funds to the DOE to establish and implement the Working Group and to provide grants for school composting projects pursuant to the Working Group's recommendations; and

     (2)  In agricultural operations by:

          (A)  Requiring the Department of Agriculture (DOA) to establish and implement a three-year Compost Reimbursement Pilot Program to provide reimbursement to Hawaii farmers and ranchers for the purchase of compost and report on the Program to the Legislature;

          (B)  Establishing a full-time, temporary Compost Reimbursement Pilot Program Manager position within DOA; and

          (C)  Appropriating funds to DOA for the Compost Reimbursement Pilot Program.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting provisions relating to the DOE Working Group and grants and appropriating funds to the DOE;

     (2)  Appropriating $1,000,000 to the DOA for the Compost Reimbursement Pilot Program and authorizing expenditure of:

          (A)  $50,000 per year to establish a full-time temporary program manager position for the pilot program; and

          (B)  $20,000 per year for program and administrative costs of the pilot program;

     (3)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2018; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1577, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1577, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI Chair	____________________________ CHRIS LEE Co-Chair
____________________________ MIKE GABBARD Co-Chair	____________________________ JUSTIN H. WOODSON Co-Chair
____________________________ KAIALI'I KAHELE Co-Chair	____________________________ NICOLE E. LOWEN Co-Chair