STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1625

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: S.B. No. 1151

S.D. 1

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 S.B. No. 1151, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LOANS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to enable the Chair of the Board of Agriculture (Chairperson) to quickly approve small agricultural and aquaculture loans by increasing the Chairperson's approval amount from $25,000 to $100,000 of state funds.

The Department of Agriculture, Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, Ulupono Initiative, Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, and a concerned individual supported this measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 2150, to encourage further discussion.

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance to review the appropriateness of allowing the Chairperson to approve loans of up to $100,000 without any input or analysis by the Board of Agriculture. Your Committee further requests the Committee on Finance to consider reducing the approval threshold amount to $50,000 should it be deemed appropriate under current and anticipated future conditions to meet the financial assistance needs of Hawaii's agricultural or aquaculture industries, or both.

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 S.B. No. 1151, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1151, S.D. 1, 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