STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2872

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2075

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2075 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE SUSTAINABLE AND ORGANIC AGRICULTURE PROGRAM,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to support the growth and sustainability of Hawaii's local agriculture industry.

 

     More specifically, this measure appropriates moneys to the University of Hawaii to support the Sustainable and Organic Agriculture Program administered by the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; University of Hawaii System; OCC Legislative Priorities Committee, Democratic Party of Hawaii; and two concerned individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that supporting sustainable agricultural practices in the State will help to diversify the State's agriculture industry.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Changing the appropriation for the sustainable and organic agriculture program from $250,000 to an unspecified amount;

 

(2)  Changing the amount allocated for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) educational assistant from $70,000 to an unspecified amount;

 

(3)  Changing the amount allocated for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) research and extension assistant at the University of Hawaii at Manoa from $70,000 to an unspecified amount;

 

(4)  Changing the amount allocated for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) research and extension assistant to serve the counties of Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui, and the City and County of Honolulu, from $70,000 to an unspecified amount;

 

(5)  Changing the amount allocated for operating expenses from $40,000 to an unspecified amount;

 

(6)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

 

(7)  Making technical nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     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. 2075, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2075, S.D. 1.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair