STAND. COM. REP. NO. 465

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1026

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 1026 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ANIMAL INDUSTRY SPECIAL FUND,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize fees for diagnostic, surveillance, and other work by the Department of Agriculture's Division of Animal Industry's Veterinary Laboratory and Animal Disease Control Branch to be deposited into the animal industry special fund.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

 

     Your Committee finds that the animal industry special fund was established to receive monies from the use or rental of the Department of Agriculture's Division of Animal Industry properties and facilities to assist with expenditures of the Division.  The Division's Veterinary Laboratory assists industries, practicing veterinarians, the state animal quarantine branch, and other governmental animal health agencies by providing laboratory and testing services, including pathology, histopathology, parasitology, and serology; diagnostic support; and conducting disease surveillance projects involving poultry, swine, dairy, and other livestock and aquaculture industries.  Your Committee further finds that although reductions were made to the Veterinary Laboratory in recent years, the laboratory is currently positioned to perform at optimal capacity and generate revenue from its diagnostic, surveillance, and other work fees.  This measure ensures that such fees will be deposited into the animal industry special fund to assist with costs of the Division of Animal Industry.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1026, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1026, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture and Environment,

 

 

 

________________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair