STAND. COM. REP. NO. 422
Honolulu, Hawaii
S.D. 1
President of the Senate
Thirty-First State Legislature
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 882 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"
beg leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to add the Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission to the board of agriculture.
Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and two individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.
Your Committees find that the Department of Agriculture, headed by the Board of Agriculture, works to support, enhance, promote, and protect Hawaii's agriculture and aquaculture industries. The Hawaiian Homes Commission Act authorizes the Department to lease agricultural lands or lands used for aquaculture purposes. As the State looks to increase food security statewide, the interests of agricultural homestead lessees should be represented on the Board of Agriculture.
Your Committees have heard concerns expressed by the Department of Agriculture that adding the Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission to the Board of Agriculture would provide opportunities for other stakeholder groups to request further expansion of the Board, thus compromising its ability to govern efficiently. The Department of Agriculture provided a suggestion that the stakeholder-oriented representation sought by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands may be more appropriately achieved by occupying one of the existing at-large seats.
Your Committees have
amended this measure by making
technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and
consistency.
As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Agriculture and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 882, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 882, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Agriculture and Environment,
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________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair |
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________________________________ MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair |
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