STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2885

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2955

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2955 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMPOSTING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to facilitate the provision of compost to farmers and ranchers.

Specifically, the measure:

(1) Requires the Department of Agriculture to implement a three-year compost reimbursement pilot program to provide reimbursements to farmers and ranchers who make qualifying purchases of compost;

(2) Appropriates moneys for the pilot program, including moneys for a temporary manager; and

(3) Requires the Department of Agriculture to submit to the Legislature a report on the pilot program.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; a member of the Hawaii County Council; Malama Kauai; Hawaii Farmers Union United; Hawaii Farm Bureau; Climate Protectors Hawaii; Hydroponics Alternatives, LLC; Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action; Green Party Hawaii; Food+ Policy Internship 2022; Pele Lani Farm, LLC; Growing Together Edible Landscaping; and twenty-three individuals.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that food waste accounts for twenty-five percent of all materials sent to landfills and is the second-largest component that enters a waste stream. Your Committee also finds that recycling food waste into compost has environmental benefits, including improved soil health, increased drought resistance, and reduction in the need for supplemental water, fertilizers, and pesticides. Accordingly, your Committee believes that the use of compost will help the State meet its goal of seventy percent waste stream reduction by 2025.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the annual maximum reimbursement amount, the salary of the compost reimbursement pilot program manager, the appropriation for the pilot program, and the annual ceiling on expenditures for pilot program costs to unspecified amounts;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2955, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2955, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair