STAND. COM. REP. NO. 352

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1208

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 1208 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish the agribusiness land and facilities special fund to acquire, operate, and maintain large tracts of former agricultural land in the State for agricultural economic development.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Agribusiness Development Corporation; Land Use Research Foundation; Hawaii Farm Bureau; Larry Jefts Farms, LLC; and one individual.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and State Procurement Office.

 

     Your Committees find that due to the rapid downsizing and closure of agricultural companies in the State, there are large tracts of land and empty industrial facilities currently available for agricultural economic growth.  This measure provides a means by which the Agribusiness Development Corporation (ADC) can acquire certain large tracts of former agricultural land located in Hawaii for agricultural development.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Providing that the exemption of expenditures, uses, or transfers of funds from the agribusiness land and facilities special fund from chapter 42F or 103D, Hawaii Revised Statutes, applies after the ADC adopts rules governing expenditures by the ADC; and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Water and Land that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1208, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1208, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Water and Land,

 

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair

 

________________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair