STAND. COM. REP. NO. 962

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 491

S.D. 2

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. 491, S.D. 1, 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 funds for various operating expenses of the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, a member of the Hawaii County Council, and Hawaii Farm Bureau.

Your Committee finds that the appropriations made by this measure will assist the Department of Agriculture in its efforts to support and grow Hawaii's agriculture industry.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Amending the number of positions authorized and amounts appropriated for the AGR132 program;

(2) Amending the amounts appropriated and method of funding used to hire additional environmental health specialist positions in the pesticides branch, and providing that the positions shall be temporary rather than permanent;

(3) Removing multiple other budget items from the measure;

(4) Adding a severability clause;

(5) Adding a provision authorizing the Governor to correct manifest clerical, typographical, or other mechanical errors;

(6) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(7) Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of consistency and style.

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. 491, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 491, S.D. 2.

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

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair