STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1097

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 1042

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1042 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO IMPORTANT AGRICULTURAL LANDS,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to fully implement Act 183, Session Laws of Hawaii 2005, in accordance with the State's constitutional duty to protect important agricultural lands by providing funds to the counties for the identification and mapping of important agricultural lands.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Land Use Commission, Maui County Planning Department, County of Maui Office of the Mayor, City and County of Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Maui County Farm Bureau, Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, Hawaii Association of REALTORS, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, and one individual.

 

     Your Committees find that article XI, section 3, of the Hawaii State Constitution establishes the State's duty to "conserve and protect agricultural lands, promote diversified agriculture, increase agricultural self-sufficiency and assure the availability of agriculturally suitable lands" and provides specialized protections for important agricultural lands.  Your Committees further find that the Legislature enacted Act 183, Session Laws of Hawaii 2005, which directed each county to work with government and community stakeholders to, within sixty months of receipt of state funds for the purpose, identify and map potential important agricultural lands within its jurisdiction and make recommendations to the Land Use Commission for the designation of these lands as important agricultural lands.  Once designated, agricultural operations on important agricultural lands are eligible for a variety of state and county assistance and incentive programs.  Your Committees find that, to date, the counties have not received state funds to assist with their identification and mapping duties under Act 183.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting language in section 2 to allow the grants-in-aid to also be used by the counties for preparation of the final submission package to the Land Use Commission and for assistance with exploring county incentives for important agricultural lands;

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

     (3)  Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1042, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1042, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

 

________________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair

 

________________________________

RUSSELL E. RUDERMAN, Chair