STAND. COM. REP. NO. 552

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 531

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 531, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL LANDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to promote the growth and development of small businesses by requiring the Procurement Policy Board to adopt rules for criteria to provide preference to small businesses for the use of state agricultural lands.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Agriculture, State Procurement Office, and Hawaii Farm Bureau. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General.

Your Committee finds that this measure is intended to assist individuals and entities in finding appropriate farmland and increase the use of locally grown agricultural produce.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Reverting to the contents of this measure as it was introduced, which:

(A) Requires a state contract for the purchase of produce to include an option by a purchasing agency for the contractor supplying the produce to lease state agricultural land; and

(B) Establishes a process for the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources of the University of Hawaii to identify appropriate land that may be leased to the contractor to grow the produce;

(2) Changing its effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 531, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 531, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair