STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3473

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1568

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Government Operations, to which was referred H.B. No. 1568, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Change the law requiring all state departments to ensure that a certain percentage of food purchased consists of fresh, local agricultural products or local value-added, processed, agricultural, or food products to apply only to the Department of Education, Department of Health, Department of Public Safety, Department of Defense, and University of Hawaii System; and

(2) Require each of those departments and the University of Hawaii System to report to the Legislature on its progress toward meeting these benchmarks and clarifies the information to be reported.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; University of Hawai‘i System; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Hawaii Food Industry Association; Hawaii Food+ Policy; Ulupono Initiative; Hawai‘i Alliance for Progressive Action; Kauai Women's Caucus; Hawai‘i Primary Care Association; Kanalani Ohana Farm; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; and seventeen individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Public Safety and one individual.

Your Committees find that the State can support Hawaii's food security and local food production by purchasing food from local food producers. Notably, the Departments of Education, Health, Public Safety, and Defense, along with the University of Hawaii System, are the largest purchasers of food among the State's departments and agency. Accordingly, requirements for the State to purchase local food should focus on those departments and the University of Hawaii System. This measure limits the requirement for state departments and agencies to purchase local food to the Departments of Education, Health, Public Safety, and Defense, and the University of Hawaii System.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Removing amendments to Act 176, Session Laws of Hawaii, 2021, and inserting the same language from the proposed amendments into a new purpose section;

(2) Excluding certain purchases within the University of Hawaii System from the local food purchasing requirement;

(3) Requiring each department to prioritize contracts with vendors that use locally sourced food products; and

(4) 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 Agriculture and Environment and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1568, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1568, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Government Operations,

________________________________ SHARON MORIWAKI, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair