STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1930-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: S.B. No. 481

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 481, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO IMPORTANT AGRICULTURAL LANDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to encourage more farmers and agricultural operations to participate in the Important Agricultural Lands program by including tenants of public lands in the class of landowners eligible for State and county incentives for farming enterprises and agricultural uses of Important Agricultural Lands.

The Office of Planning, Agribusiness Development Corporation, Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Hawaii Farm Bureau, and Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii testified in support of this measure. The Department of Agriculture provided comments.

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. 481, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair