STAND. COM. REP. NO. 630

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 839

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 839 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE PUNA DISTRICT AGRICULTURAL PARK,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for a feasibility study for planning and land acquisition for an agricultural park in the Puna district to provide access to agricultural lands for small scale farmers.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Mayor of the County of Hawaii, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Hawaii Farmers Union United, and three individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that Puna is the fastest growing district in the County of Hawaii.  Your Committee further finds that an agricultural park in the Puna district would provide economic opportunities and increase local food production in the district in alignment with the State's food sustainability goals.

 


     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Changing the amount appropriated in fiscal year 2017-2018 and fiscal year 2018-2019 from $250,000 to an unspecified amount; and

 

(2)  Changing the effective date to March 9, 2092, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

 

     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 S.B. No. 839, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 839, S.D. 1.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair