STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1182

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 519

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 519, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FOOD SAFETY,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to assist small- to medium-sized farms to obtain federal Department of Agriculture Good Agricultural Practices certification, or an equivalent, by establishing a food safety certification training program in the State, and appropriating funds for this purpose.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, University of Hawaii, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Hawaii Food Industry Association, North Shore Economic Vitality Partnership, Oahu Resource Conservation and Development Council, Ulupono Initiative, Hawaii Farm Bureau, and one individual.

 

     Your Committee finds that by requiring the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources to partner with the local agriculture community to develop and establish a food safety certification training program, this measure will help local farms meet the first requirement of the federal Food Safety Modernization Act and spur an increase in the supply of locally grown food.  Your Committee also finds that an appropriation of $150,000 in each year of fiscal biennium 2019‑2021 is necessary to achieve the intent of this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Changing the amounts appropriated to unspecified amounts;

 

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

 

(3)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for 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. 519, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 519, S.D. 2.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair