STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2129

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: S.B. No. 1351

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 Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 1351, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEMP,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to expedite and improve efficiencies under the Industrial Hemp Pilot Program (Pilot Program) administered by the Department of Agriculture (DOA) by:

(1) Authorizing the DOA to establish alternative sampling protocols for purposes of verifying the delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of industrial hemp and granting the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture or Chairperson's designee discretion to sample varieties of industrial hemp;

(2) Increasing the charge for inspections to $40 per hour per inspector and authorizing the DOA to establish charges for travel and extraordinary services related to inspections;

(3) Authorizing DOA to employ temporary inspectors to conduct inspections under the Pilot Program; and

(4) Requiring DOA to fix, assess, and collect fees for inspection services conducted by temporary inspectors under the Pilot Program and deposit the fees into the Certification Services Revolving Fund, which may be used to cover costs for inspection services.

DOA and Hawaii Farm Bureau testified in support of this measure.

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. 1351, S.D. 1, 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