Report Title:

Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Taro; Appropriation

 

Description:

Appropriates funds for the taro security and purity task force.

 


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

904

TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT


 

 

RELATING TO TARO.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that Act 211, Session Laws of Hawaii 2008, recognized the need to develop non-genetic- modification-based solutions to protect taro from disease and insects on a statewide basis.  Prior to Act 211, a dialogue among the State's department of agriculture, taro farmers from each island, researchers and representatives from the University of Hawaii, the Hawaii Farm Bureau, and the office of Hawaiian affairs had produced a joint report recommending the formation of a taro security and purity task force to guide policy and prioritize research for the protection of taro in Hawaii.  Act 211 established the taro security and purity task force; assigned it numerous objectives ranging across such areas as policy development, incentives for taro security, public education, training, and development of a grant program; and placed it within the office of Hawaiian affairs for administrative purposes.

     Act 211 required the task force to submit to the legislature (1) a preliminary report documenting the status of its progress no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2009 and (2) a final report summarizing its program, the results achieved, actual expenditures, and recommended legislation no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2010.

     Conference Draft 1 of Senate Bill No. 2915, the bill that evolved into Act 211, contained an appropriation of $325,000 in state general fund revenues for fiscal year 2008-2009, to be expended by the office of Hawaiian affairs to achieve the objectives of the task force and to be matched dollar for dollar by the office of Hawaiian affairs.  However, the governor in approving the bill vetoed the $325,000 appropriation in its entirety.  As a result, the task force, although it has been formed and has made some progress, has faced a major financial obstacle to fully carrying out its legislative mandate.

     The purpose of this Act is to help ensure that the taro security and purity task force reaches its full potential by appropriating funds for its operation.

     SECTION 2.  Act 211, Session Laws of Hawaii 2008, is amended by amending section 3 to read as follows:

     "SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of [$0] $         or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year [2008-2009] 2009-2010 to achieve the objectives of the taro security and purity task force, which may include:

     (1)  Convening and operating the task force, including conducting discussions on all islands;

     (2)  Contracting at least one person to facilitate, coordinate, communicate, and record the work of the task force;

     (3)  Conducting archival and ethnographic research of the history of taro and taro practices in Hawaii and the traditional Hawaiian cultivars to aid in its revival and to revise Bulletin 84:  Taro Varieties in Hawaii (1939) which is the key reference for taro growers and researchers;

     (4)  Protecting the Molokai taro varieties collection, the oldest and most complete collection and source of taro varieties in Hawaii;

     (5)  Conducting taro research and outreach for the control and eradication of the apple snail; and

     (6)  Preparing the preliminary and final reports to be submitted to the legislature.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the office of Hawaiian affairs for the purposes of this Act[; provided that no funds shall be expended unless matched on a dollar for dollar basis by the office of Hawaiian affairs]."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2009.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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By Request