THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

134

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO "BUY LOCAL" TO ENCOURAGE SUSTAINABILITY.

 

 


     WHEREAS, the Department of Education and the Department of Health are two of the largest state departments in terms of budget, personnel, and purchases; and

 

     WHEREAS, current law requires procurement preferences ("buy local") to be given to "Hawaii products" under section 103D‑1002, Hawaii Revised Statutes, defined under section 103D‑1001, Hawaii Revised Statutes, as products that are mined, excavated, produced, manufactured, raised, or grown in the State where the input constitutes no less than twenty-five per cent of the manufactured cost; and

 

     WHEREAS, section 3-120-4, Hawaii Administrative Rules, exempts the procurement of certain goods and services from chapter 103D, Hawaii Revised Statutes, including but not limited to the purchase of fresh meats and produce; and

 

     WHEREAS, Act 8, Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2005, created the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Task Force; and

 

     WHEREAS, Act 8 was based on the belief of the Legislature that government is responsible not only for resolving daily and annual issues, but also to assure the sustainability of the State for generations to come (Auditor's Report, December 2005); and

 

     WHEREAS, one of the major concerns of the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Task Force was the reality that Hawaii is an island state and is dependent heavily on imports of literally most things; and

 

     WHEREAS, to the extent that Hawaii may reduce its dependence on purchases of out-of-state products through buying from in-state suppliers, the more it benefits the local economy and the more it reduces our dependence on shipping; and

 

     WHEREAS, one of the "Priority actions:  Intermediate steps for the year 2020" of the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan is to "increase production and consumption of local foods and products, particularly agriculture; and

 

     WHEREAS, local diversified agricultural produce includes fruits and vegetables such as banana, longan, lychee, papaya, pineapple, baby green lettuce, romaine lettuce, round onion, taro, and tomato; local cattle farms produce beef and furnish milk; and

 

     WHEREAS, "buy local" is critical to the long-term sustainability of the food and manufacturing sectors of Hawaii's economy; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Department of Education and the Department of Health are major state government purchasers of food stuffs and other goods and products that can be locally grown or produced if the local demand is sufficient; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Department of Education and the Department of Health play major roles, with their combined purchasing power, in helping Hawaii to meet the priority action of increasing production, particularly in agriculture, and consumption of local foods and products; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2008, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Education and the Department of Health are urged in their respective procurements to practice "buy local" to the maximum extent possible to encourage sustainability; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Superintendent of Education, Director of Health, and the Governor.

Report Title: 

Buy Local; Sustainability; Dept of Health; Dept of Education