STAND. COM. REP. NO. 233

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1177

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 1177 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMMON INTEREST AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITIES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish common interest agricultural communities.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, Hawaii Island School Garden Network, and Aloun Farms.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture and Office of Planning.

     Your Committees find that use of agricultural land has been of concern to the State for decades; particularly in cases where residential structure violations have occurred.  Common interest agricultural communities may provide a solution for Hawaii's farmers to farm agricultural land and share agricultural infrastructure and other resources in an economically viable way, while establishing greater accountability to ensure proper land use.

     Your Committees note the concerns expressed in the testimony of the Department of Agriculture and Office of Planning and encourage both agencies to work together to prepare proposed amendments as this measure moves forward in the legislative process.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1177, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1177, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health,

________________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair