STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2761

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3096

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. 3096 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR AN AGRICULTURE INNOVATION CENTER,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to make an emergency appropriation to the Department of Education to build an agriculture innovation center and create an agricultural program on the island of Kauai.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, Hawaii Farm Bureau, and Hawaii Cattlemen's Council.

Your Committee finds that agricultural education is critical to ensuring the longevity and resilience of Hawaii's agriculture industry. The agriculture innovation center supported by this measure will give students the opportunity to learn about local food production and may motivate them to pursue careers in agriculture.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation amount to an unspecified sum;

(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. 3096, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3096, S.D. 1.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair