STAND. COM. REP. NO. 806

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 Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 531, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require that a state contract for the purchase of produce include an option for the contractor supplying the produce to lease state agricultural land; and

(2) Establish 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.

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 531, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair