STAND. COM. REP. NO. 610

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 1185

H.D. 2

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1185, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish and appropriate funds for a working group within the University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience to study and report on how best to grow plants and develop plant-based building materials in Hawaii.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from 350Hawaii.org; Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; Hawaiʻi Reef and Ocean Coalition; and Climate Protectors Hawaiʻi.

Your Committee finds that establishing a working group to conduct a study on growing plants that could be used for building materials in Hawaii will explore how best to develop a home-grown building materials industry and the creation of agricultural and green jobs in the State. Your Committee further finds that the knowledge and expertise offered by the University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience will help support the working group in conducting such a study.

Your Committee has amended this measure by 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 Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1185, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1185, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education,

____________________________

ANDREW TAKUYA GARRETT, Chair