STAND. COM. REP. 28

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 542

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 542 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to deter and prevent agricultural theft by expanding and strengthening certification and enforcement provisions related to the ownership and movement of agricultural commodities. Among other things, this bill:

(1) Expands the definition of "agricultural commodity" by including silvicultural products;

(2) Repeals the minimum weight and monetary value thresholds that trigger ownership certification requirements, thereby expanding the ownership certification requirements to include agricultural commodities regardless of the amount or value of such commodities; and

(3) Allows any other person designated by the Department of Agriculture (DOA) to issue citations and summons related to enforcement of provisions for ownership and movement of agricultural commodities.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the

DOA, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Maui County Farm Bureau, and Hawaii Agriculture Research Center.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting an incorrect reference to the term "deputy" with the correct reference to "any other person"; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 542, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 542, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

 

____________________________

FELIPE P. ABINSAY, JR., Chair