STAND. COM. REP. NO. 723

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 501

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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 501, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the Agricultural Enforcement Program within the Department of Law Enforcement;

(2) Establish the Agricultural Enforcement Special Fund; and

(3) Appropriate funds for and establish positions within the Agricultural Enforcement Program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Law Enforcement; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; Hawaiʻi Food+ Policy; Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; and Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that the establishment of the Agricultural Enforcement Program will increase protections for agricultural communities and builds upon the Department of Law Enforcement's collaboration with stakeholders in local agriculture to address agricultural crimes effectively. The proposed Agricultural Enforcement Program will be able to deploy specialized law enforcement positions across the State to prevent, investigate, and combat agricultural theft and related crimes, thereby preserving Hawaii's agricultural sector and ensuring the security of local food production infrastructure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that Agricultural Enforcement Special Fund expenditures relating to:

(A) Maintenance functions shall be authorized and deemed necessary by the Director of Law Enforcement, rather than the Board of Agriculture; and

(B) Funding for consultants or contractual hires related to certain matters shall be determined by the Director of Law Enforcement, rather than the Board of Agriculture; 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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 501, 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. 501, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair