STAND. COM. REP. NO. 696

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1151

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1151 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to increase the authority of the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture to approve agricultural and aquacultural loans so as to authorize amounts not to exceed $100,000, up from the current loan authorization limit of $25,000.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from Department of Agriculture; Ulupono Initiative; Hawaii Farm Bureau; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council; and Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that this measure provides a needed adjustment to the authorization amount for agricultural and aquacultural loans made by the Department of Agriculture. The current authorized loan amounts have not been updated since statutory authority was established for agricultural loans and aquacultural loans in 1982 and 1997, respectively.

Your Committee further finds that this measure supports the goal of increasing local food production in the State by enabling the Department of Agriculture to respond to a larger number of agricultural and aquacultural loan financing applications.

Your Committee has amended this measure by 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. 1151, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1151, S.D. 1.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair