CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 187

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 1588

S.D. 2

H.D. 2

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 1588, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FOOD SAFETY,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources to establish and implement a GroupGAP food safety training and certification program.

Your Committee on Conference finds that the GroupGAP program was created by the United States Department of Agriculture in 2015 to assist small farms with attaining the Good Agricultural Practices certification, which verifies that sound food safety practices have been utilized. Specifically, the GroupGAP program provides training and assistance in food safety to limit the spread of disease and other food-borne illnesses. The Legislature recently passed Act 136, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022, which required the Department of Agriculture to partner with the agricultural sector to establish a GroupGAP food safety certification program in the State. However, the funds appropriated were directed to the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources which does not have a GroupGAP food safety program. Therefore, a new appropriation is necessary.

Accordingly, your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Adding the requisite information for making an appropriation in excess of the general fund expenditure ceiling pursuant to article VII, section 9, of the Hawaii State Constitution and sections 37-91 and 37-93, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

(2) Changing the agency responsible for the establishment of a GroupGAP food safety training and certification program from the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources to the Department of Agriculture;

(3) Changing the expending agency of appropriated funds from the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources to the Department of Agriculture;

(4) Inserting an appropriation amount of $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2023-2024 to fund the establishment of the program;

(5) Amending section 2 to reflect its amended purpose;

(6) Making it effective on July 1, 2023; and

(7) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1588, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1588, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ CEDRIC ASUEGA GATES Co-Chair	____________________________ MIKE GABBARD Chair
____________________________ KIRSTIN KAHALOA Co-Chair	____________________________ HENRY J.C. AQUINO Co-Chair