STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1022

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1657

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 Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 1657, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE AGRIBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize the Agribusiness Development Corporation (ADC) to acquire by condemnation any real property or interest in real property, including real property already devoted to public use, for the purposes of Chapter 163D, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

(2) Require the ADC to make a determination that the property is necessary for the ADC's immediate or future use; and

(3) Prohibit real property acquired by condemnation from being subsequently transferred or taken for any other public use without the consent of the ADC.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Agribusiness Development Corporation and one individual.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources and Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau.

Your Committee finds that the viability of the agribusiness industry is heavily dependent on access to land and water. Through ownership of real property such as vacant farmland, irrigation infrastructure, and similar agricultural facilities, the ADC can more efficiently achieve its purpose in supporting local farmers and producers. This measure will bolster the State's food resilience goals by allowing the ADC to acquire certain real property by condemnation.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have authorized the Agribusiness Development Corporation to acquire by condemnation real property already devoted to public use; and

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1657, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1657, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

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KARL RHOADS, Chair