STAND. COM. REP. NO. 717

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: H.B. No. 1481

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 1481 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL LOANS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to assist farmers affected by natural disasters and other incidents by establishing within the Department of Agriculture a five-year Delayed Loan Payment Pilot Program to issue agricultural loans that do not require payments or incur interest for three years.

The Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, Maui Chamber of Commerce, Hawaii Farmers Union, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Ho‘omanapono Political Action Committee, and Our Revolution Hawaii supported this measure. The Department of Agriculture and Ulupono Initiative submitted comments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2150, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1481, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1481, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

RICHARD P. CREAGAN, Chair