STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2794

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2729

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Higher Education and Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2729 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AQUACULTURE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources and the Sea Grant College Program to support the sustainable growth of the local aquaculture industry by establishing two permanent aquaculture extension agent positions and one permanent aquaculture research position.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawai‘i System, Hawaii Aquaculture & Aquaponics Association, Ulupono Initiative, and three individuals.

Your Committees find that Hawaii's aquaculture production generates over $75 million in revenues per year, making it one of the largest sectors of Hawaii's diversified agriculture with great potential for further expansion. Your Committees further find that the appropriation and creation for these specific positions will expand the Hawaii aquaculture industry, thereby increasing local food production and security and providing additional economic development opportunities for rural communities statewide.

Accordingly, your Committees note that the new positions established by this measure should be designated and considered only for the purposes indicated therein. Your Committees further note that the suggested appropriation for the positions created by this measure are as follows:

(1) $160,000 for two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) aquaculture extension agents; and

(2) $84,000 for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) aquaculture researcher.

Your Committees have amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Higher Education and Agriculture and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2729, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2729, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Higher Education and Agriculture and Environment,

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair

________________________________ DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair