STAND. COM. REP. NO. 956

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1099

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. 1099 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO IMPORTANT AGRICULTURAL LANDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the Land Use Commission to designate important agricultural lands and adopt maps for the designated lands in counties that fail to identify and recommend important agricultural lands by December 31, 2027.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Land Use Commission and one individual.

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

Your Committee finds that agricultural lands are critical to the State's agriculture industry and the growth of local economies. However, inadvertent omissions or failure to designate important agricultural lands could jeopardize existing ventures and practices. Therefore, this measure ensures the protection of important agricultural lands to continue support of local agricultural practices.

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. 1099 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

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KARL RHOADS, Chair