STAND. COM. REP. NO. 13

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 491

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 Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 491 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate or authorize funds, amend positions, or amend means of financing for various operating expenses of the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, one member of the Hawai‘i County Council, Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, Hawai‘i Center for Food Safety, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that this measure expresses adjustments to the programs or positions included, maximum sums appropriated or authorized, or means of financing indicated for the Department of Agriculture in the General Appropriations Act of 2017, as amended by the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2018.

Your Committee's intent in recommending this measure for passage is for the adjustments expressed to be incorporated into the General Appropriations Act of 2019 or other appropriate legislative vehicle or to be adopted separately. As such, your Committee requests your Committee on Ways and Means to incorporate the adjustments expressed by this measure into the appropriate legislative vehicle or amend this measure to include any provisions necessary to effectuate its purpose and intent.

Your Committee has amended this measure by adding four budget items requested by the Department of Agriculture for purposes such as implementing the biosecurity program, supplementing the agricultural loan revolving fund, and funding food safety grants.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 491, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 491, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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MIKE GABBARD, Chair