STAND. COM. REP. NO.  445-14

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2646

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 2646 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO A SCHOOL FARM COMPLEX,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to establish a school farm complex task force to explore the feasibility of establishing a school farm complex pilot project on the island of Oahu.

 

     One individual submitted testimony in opposition to this measure.  The Department of Agriculture, University of Hawaii -West Oahu, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, and one individual provided comments.

 

     Your Committee finds that it is in the public interest to support agricultural self-sustainability.  The creation of a school farm complex task force will further the goals of Hawaii's long-term agricultural sustainability plan by exploring the feasibility of establishing a school farm complex on Oahu to generate and perpetuate interest in farming and agriculture among school children.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Expanding the purpose clause to recognize other agricultural initiatives;

(2)  Adding to the task force the University of Hawaii - West Oahu Vice-Chancellor of Academic Affairs;

 

(3)  Designating as task force co-chairs the University of Hawaii - West Oahu Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs and the University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources Dean;

 

(4)  Replacing as a task force member the Board of Education Chair with the Superintendent of Education;

 

(5)  Inviting rather than mandating task force participation from private sector representatives;

 

(6)  Replacing on the task force a representative from the Kokua Foundation with representatives from nonprofit and community agriculture and education organizations;

 

(7)  Providing that the task force shall cease to exist on June 30, 2016; and

 

(8)  Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of style, clarity, and consistency.

 

     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. 2646, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2646, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Higher Education.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

JESSICA WOOLEY, Chair