STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1237

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 831

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 831 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to grant the Department of Agriculture the statutory power to own real, personal, or mixed property for immediate or future use.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture and Hawai‘i Farm Bureau.

Your Committee finds that this measure would complement the Department of Agriculture's existing agricultural land, irrigation, and agricultural enterprise programs by providing more stable tenure and access to land under the State's control, thereby enhancing the State's agricultural industry.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 831, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 831, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,

____________________________

LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair