STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1445

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 1186

S.D. 2

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 Economic Development & Technology, to which was referred S.B. No. 1186, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a Statewide Interagency Food Systems Coordination Team and an Interagency Food Systems Working Group within the Agribusiness Development Corporation; and

(2) Appropriate funds for staff within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Office of Planning and Sustainable Development; Agribusiness Development Corporation; Office of Economic Revitalization of the City and County of Honolulu; Department of Research and Development of the County of Hawaiʻi; Office of Climate Change, Sustainability, and Resiliency of the City and County of Honolulu; Hawaiʻi Foodbank; Ulupono Initiative; Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice; Hawaiʻi Alliance for Progressive Action; Oʻahu Resource Conservation & Development Council; Hawaiʻi Food+ Policy; Hawaii Food Industry Association; Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council; Hawaii Youth Food Council; and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.

Your Committee finds that a strong and resilient food system is essential to Hawaii's economic sustainability, disaster preparedness, and long-term self-sufficiency. Your Committee further finds that achieving a sustainable and resilient food system requires collaboration across state agencies, producers, retailers, non-governmental organizations, and community members. This measure helps facilitate a coordinated, interagency approach to addressing food system challenges.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Designating the members of the Interagency Food Systems Working Group;

(2) Clarifying that the appropriation will be used for three temporary positions and operating costs for the Statewide Interagency Food Systems Coordination Team and Interagency Food Systems Working Group; and

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $380,000, allocated as follows:

(1) $120,000 for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) temporary food systems specialist position;

(2) $100,000 for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) temporary policy analyst position;

(3) $60,000 for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) temporary administrative assistant position; and

(4) $100,000 for operating costs for the Statewide Interagency Food Systems Coordination Team and Interagency Food Systems Working Group.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development & Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1186, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1186, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development & Technology,

____________________________

GREGGOR ILAGAN, Chair