STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1043

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 753

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. 753, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AQUACULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for the Department of Agriculture to revitalize and expand the aquaculture development program.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, the Hawaii Farm Bureau, the Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, the Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, the Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, Kulahaven Farms, the Hawaii Aquaculture and Aquaponics Association, and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that the aquaculture development program will help to sustain farms, promote local food production, and achieve the State's food sustainability goals.

Your Committee notes that an appropriation of $500,000 for each year of the fiscal biennium 2019-2021 is necessary to achieve the intent of this measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation of $500,000 in fiscal years 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 to unspecified amounts; and

(2) 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. 753, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 753, S.D. 2.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair