STAND. COM. REP. NO. 405

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 843

H.D. 1

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. 843 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE COLLEGE OF TROPICAL AGRICULTURE AND HUMAN RESILIENCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds:

(1) For critical repairs, maintenance, demolition, design, and construction for facilities of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience at the University of Hawaii at Manoa; and

(2) To establish positions within the University of Hawaii for the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience at the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa; Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; MetroGrow Hawaii; and Maui County Farm Bureau.

Your Committee finds that in the past twenty years, the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience (CTAHR) at the University of Hawaii at Manoa has lost personnel and struggled with deteriorating facilities and infrastructure. Without the proper personnel, CTAHR will be unable to support its agricultural research and extension stations. Your Committee further finds that many of CTAHR's facilities are decades old, with some dating back to the early- to mid-1900s, and most facilities have only received minimal repairs over the years. This measure will ensure that CTAHR has the resources necessary to obtain staffing positions and repair its facilities so it can continue its vital work in supporting the State through its programs and initiatives.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the amounts to be appropriated and number of positions to be funded to unspecified amounts; and

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider appropriating the following amounts:

(1) $11,000,000 for critical repairs, maintenance, demolition, design, and construction for facilities of CTAHR, to be expended as follows:

(A) $5,000,000 for the Waimanalo research station on Oahu; and

(B) $6,000,000 for the Magoon research station on Oahu; and

(2) $2,083,334 to establish eight full-time equivalent agricultural technician positions, four full-time equivalent community coordinator positions, and eight full-time equivalent administrative professional technical positions within CTAHR.

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. 843, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 843, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

ANDREW TAKUYA GARRETT, Chair