STAND. COM. REP. NO.  2126

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2019

 

RE:   S.B. No. 754

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 754, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to ensure food safety by:

 

     (1)  Requiring specified farms that produce food crops to comply with the State's produce safety laws, rules adopted by the Board of Agriculture, and federal food safety laws for the growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of produce for human consumption;

 

     (2)  Providing exemptions and modified requirements for qualifying farms based on size, method of distribution, and compliance with federal law;

 

     (3)  Authorizing the Department of Agriculture (DOA) to access farms for inspection and the collection of samples for compliance purposes;

 

     (4)  Authorizing DOA, in accordance with procedures established by this measure, to seize, take possession, condemn, destroy, or require the destruction of specified covered produce that is believed to be in violation of produce safety laws;

 

     (5)  Establishing civil penalties for violations of up to $1,000 per violation;

 

     (6)  Providing for the repeal of this measure upon repeal of the corresponding federal law, or July 1, 2022, whichever occurs first; and

 

     (7)  Providing for the expiration of this measure if the federal government fails to award funds to the State to implement the provisions of federal law embodied in this measure, or when federal funds are exhausted, whichever is later.

 

     DOA testified in support of this measure.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 754, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair