STAND. COM. REP. NO. 283

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 756

H.D. 1

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. 756 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to add the chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission as an ex officio voting member of the Board of Agriculture.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee finds that the interests of agricultural lessees of Hawaiian homesteads should be represented on the Board of Agriculture. However, your Committee also recognizes that adding the Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission as an additional ex-officio member of the Board increases the total number of board members, which could create a precedent for other stakeholder groups to request further expansion of the Board and compromise its ability to govern efficiently.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Reducing the number of at-large positions on the Board of Agriculture by one and redesignating this position as an ex officio position to be filled by the chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission; and

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment 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. 756, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 756, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

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

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair