STAND. COM. REP. NO.  75

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

 

RE:   H.B. No. 850

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 850 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to address the budgetary shortfalls experienced by the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources' Cooperative Extension Service (Service) by appropriating moneys for critical unfunded positions.

 

     The Department of Agriculture, University of Hawaii System, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Maui County Farm Bureau, Hawaii Farmers Union United, Three Roads Farm, Hawaii Macadamia Nut Association, Kauai Coffee Company, LLC, Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association, Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, and numerous concerned individuals supported this measure.  

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the appropriated amount to an unspecified sum;

 

     (2)  Changing its effective date to January 20, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for consistency and style.

 

     Should the Committee on Finance deliberate this measure further, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider appropriating $700,000 for critical unfunded positions in the Service.  Although the Service provides valuable tools that the public can use to strengthen communities and sustain Hawaii's agricultural economy, over the last 20 years, the Service has experienced a 43 percent decrease in extension agents who serve the various counties.

 

     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. 850, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 850, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Higher Education.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

CLIFT TSUJI, Chair