STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2904

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2396

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2396, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LOAN PROGRAMS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to support the agricultural industry in Hawaii.

 

Specifically, this measure:

 

     (1)  Appropriates moneys for deposit into the agricultural loan revolving fund and the Hawaii water infrastructure special fund;

 

     (2)  Appropriates moneys out of the agricultural loan revolving fund and the Hawaii water infrastructure special fund to support agriculture; and

 

     (3)  Establishes a $2,500,000 per fiscal year ceiling for the Hawaii water infrastructure special fund.

 

     Your Committee received comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii Department of Agriculture; the Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii; the Ulupono Initiative; the OCC Legislative Priorities Committee, Democratic Party of Hawaii; the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation; and one concerned individual.

 

     Your Committee finds that as increased agricultural lands have become available, additional funds are required for the agricultural loan revolving fund to support new farmers and improve the State's food self-sufficiency.  Your Committee also finds that the Hawaii water infrastructure special fund requires additional funding in order to provide for current and future loan applications.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting the section of the bill that established a balance ceiling for the Hawaii water infrastructure special fund;

 

     (2)  Changing the appropriations into and out of the agricultural loan revolving fund from $5,000,000 to an unspecified amount;

 

     (3)  Changing the appropriations into and out of the Hawaii water infrastructure special fund from $2,500,000 to an unspecified amount; and

 

     (4)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2396, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2396, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair