STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3354

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2282

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2282, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish an agricultural enforcement program to address agricultural theft and other crimes committed on agricultural lands in the State.

 

More specifically, this measure:

 

     (1)  Requires the Board of Agriculture to establish an agricultural enforcement program within the Department of Agriculture;

 

     (2)  Adds Department of Agriculture agricultural enforcement officers and vehicles to various statutory provisions relating to law enforcement;

 

     (3)  Establishes one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) chief enforcement officer position and two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) enforcement officer positions within the agricultural enforcement program;

 

     (4)  Establishes the agricultural enforcement special fund; and

 

     (5)  Appropriates funds to the Department of Agriculture for the agricultural enforcement program.

 

     Your Committees received written comments in support of this measure from the Agribusiness Development Corporation; County of Hawaii Office of the Mayor; City and County of Honolulu Department of the Prosecuting Attorney; Larry Jefts Farm, LLC; Hawaii Farm Bureau; Ulupono Initiative; Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii; and five individuals.

 

     Your Committees received written comments in opposition to this measure from one individual.

 

     Your Committees received written comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and Department of Agriculture.

 

     Your Committees find that agricultural theft and other crimes committed on agricultural lands in the State have become a commonplace occurrence.  This measure provides programmatic and monetary support to help address this issue of statewide concern.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

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

 

     (2)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2282, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2282, S.D. 2.


 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary,

 

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair