STAND. COM. REP. NO. 463

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 522

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Economic Development and Tourism and Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 522 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HALAULA AGRICULTURAL PARCEL,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds to the Agribusiness Development Corporation for the purchase of the Halaula Agricultural Parcel for agricultural development.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Agribusiness Development Corporation; Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; Island Harvest Inc.; Surety Kohala Corporation; North Kohala Community Development Plan Advisory Group; North Kohala Community Resource Center; Kohala Medical Herb Farm; Boteilho Hawaii Enterprises, Inc.; Hawaiʻi Food+ Policy; and eighteen individuals

Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committees find that strategic investment is necessary to revitalize the State's agricultural industry, which is critical to food security. This measure will create jobs locally while stimulating the economy and self-sufficiency statewide by investing in a historically underserved but fertile region through the Agribusiness Development Corporation, an entity that is well‑equipped to realize its development.

Your Committees have amended this measure by inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Economic Development and Tourism and Agriculture and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 522, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 522, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Economic Development and Tourism and Agriculture and Environment,

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair

________________________________ LYNN DECOITE, Chair