STAND. COM. REP. NO. 95

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                   

 

RE:     S.B. No. 84

        S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Water and Land and Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 84 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish the Sustainable Food Systems Working Group within the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to develop a plan for a more sustainable and resilient local food economy.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development; Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission; University of Hawaii System; Hawaii Tourism Authority; Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; Hawaii Foodbank, Inc.; North Shore Economic Vitality Partnership; Hawaii Food Industry Association; Ulupono Initiative; Hawaii Fishermen's Alliance for Conservation and Tradition, Inc.; and two individuals.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

 

     Your Committees find that a sustainable food system is one in which producers, retailers, members of the community, nongovernmental organizations, and government agencies partner to create a vibrant and resilient local food economy that enhances and sustains the environmental, economic, and social health of the community.  Your Committees further find that developing an improved sustainable food system for Hawaii is an opportunity to create a new food economy that integrates the objectives of "green" job creation, sustainable economic development, land stewardship, food security, environmental protection, and climate change resiliency with community health and well-being.  Therefore, this measure establishes within the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development the Sustainable Food Systems Working Group. 

 

     Your Committees have heard testimony from the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development expressing concerns that the large size of this measure's working group could present quorum challenges.  The Office of Planning and Sustainable Development also requested that the total number of working group members be pared down to an odd number so that a majority vote can be achieved on action items. 

 

     Therefore, your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Reducing the total number of working group members from twenty-three to nineteen by:

 

          (A)  Removing two proposed members from the University of Hawaii System who have experience in food systems and adding one member from the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources;

 

          (B)  Removing one proposed member from the Department of Native Hawaiian Health of the John A. Burns School of Medicine;

 

          (C)  Removing one proposed member from the agricultural sector that was to be selected by the Director of the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development; and

 

          (D)  Removing one proposed member from the commercial fishing sector of the State;

 

     (2)  Allowing the Superintendent of Education, rather than the Director of the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, to select one member from the Hawaii Farm-to-School community;

 

     (3)  Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water and Land and Agriculture and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 84, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 84, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water and Land and Agriculture and Environment,

 

________________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair

 

________________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair