STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1142

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 1277

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1277, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE STATEWIDE AGRICULTURE WATER DEVELOPMENT STUDY,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds from the Agricultural Development and Food Security Special Fund for the Department of Agriculture to complete the Statewide Agriculture Water Use and Development Study.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from Russell S. Kokubun, Chairperson, Board of Agriculture; Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation; and Dave Arakawa, Executive Director, Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee finds that Act 101, Session Laws of Hawaii 1998, requires the Department of Agriculture to create an Agricultural Water Use and Development Plan.  An in-depth study of irrigation systems throughout the State is already currently being conducted.  This measure will provide the funding necessary for the Department of Agriculture to complete its work on the Statewide Agriculture Water Use and Development Study.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by authorizing the issuance of general obligation bonds in an unspecified amount, rather than appropriating funds from the agricultural development and food security special fund.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1277, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1277, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair