STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2786

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2707

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2707 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL THEFT AND VANDALISM PILOT PROJECT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funding for the second year of the agricultural theft and vandalism pilot project in the Counties of Maui and Hawaii.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Office of the Mayor of the County of Hawai‘i; two members of the Hawai‘i County Council; Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers; LavaRock Farm; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; Maui County Farm Bureau; Hawaiian Reforestation Program; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Kaye Family Farms; and six individuals.

Your Committee finds that agricultural theft and vandalism are impediments to running a successful and profitable farming operation and are harmful to consumers. Agricultural theft and vandalism are a serious, ongoing problem, with farmers reporting theft of crops, animals, equipment, and tools, and vandalized fences and gates. Since many incidents of agricultural theft and vandalism are not reported, the annual monetary losses can only be estimated in the millions of dollars.

Your Committee further finds that Act 217, Session Laws of Hawaii 2019, established a two-year agricultural theft and vandalism pilot project for the Counties of Hawaii and Maui, but only provided funding for the first year. This measure provides additional funding for the second year of the pilot project.

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. 2707 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair