STAND. COM. REP. NO. 598

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1331

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 1331 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE LAND STUDY BUREAU SOIL RATING SYSTEM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to update the soil data used by the Land Study Bureau Soil Rating System with current data and approaches.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development; Department of Agriculture; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; University of Hawaiʻi System; Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; and Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United.

Your Committee finds that accurate soil data reflecting soil characteristics, soil properties, and identification of limits, risks, and soil suitability for various uses helps optimize public and private investments in agriculture. This measure will ensure the optimal use of the State's agricultural lands by requiring the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to update the soil data used by the Land Study Bureau.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the name of CTAHR from the College of Agriculture and Human Resources to the College of Agriculture and Human Resilience, to reflect its recent name change;

(2) Inserting an effective date of January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1331, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1331, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water and Land,

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LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair