STAND. COM. REP. NO. 687

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1186

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1186, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a statewide interagency food systems coordination team and an interagency food systems working group within the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Health; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; County of Hawaii Department of Research and Development; City and County of Honolulu Office of Economic Revitalization; Ulupono Initiative; Hawaii Farm Bureau; Purple Maia Foundation; Hawaii Farmers Union; Hawaii Food Industry Association; Oahu Resource Conservation and Development Council; Hawaii Appleseed; Hawaii Food and Policy; Hawaii Aquaculture and Aquaponics Association; Climate Protectors Hawaii; Kanalani Ohana Farm; Ka Ohana O Na Pua; and three individuals.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture and Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.

Your Committee finds that the collaborative efforts supported by this measure will help reduce Hawaii's dependence on food imports, strengthen the State's food security ecosystem, and support the construction of resilient food production facilities. Your Committee also finds, based upon written comments from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, that the Agribusiness Development Corporation is already working to double local food production and food exports.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting the proposed members of the interagency food systems working group;

(2) Placing the proposed statewide interagency food systems coordination team and interagency food systems working group within the Agribusiness Development Corporation;

(3) Deleting the appropriation in section 3 of the measure;

(4) Making the measure effective upon its approval; and

(5) Making technical, nonsubstantive edits for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1186, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1186, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair