STAND. COM. REP. NO. 190

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 239

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 239 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Require the Department of Agriculture to establish a two-year agricultural theft pilot project to focus on investigating and prosecuting agricultural theft or agricultural vandalism in the County of Hawaii; and

 

     (2)  Appropriate funds as a grant-in-aid to the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, County of Hawaii, to assist in implementing the pilot project.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Hawaii Farm Bureau; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; Ponoholo Ranch, Limited; and two individuals.

 

     Your Committees find that agricultural theft and vandalism in the County of Hawaii are impediments to running a successful and profitable farming operation and are harmful to consumers.  Agricultural theft and vandalism are a serious, ongoing problem, with farmers reporting theft of crops, animals, equipment, and tools, and vandalized fences and gates.  Since many incidents of agricultural theft and vandalism are not reported, the annual monetary losses can only be estimated in the millions of dollars.  By establishing an agricultural theft and vandalism pilot project for the County of Hawaii, this measure provides additional focus on investigating and prosecuting agriculture theft and vandalism.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Inserting an appropriation amount of $100,000;

 

     (2)  Requiring the Department of Agriculture to submit its report to the Legislature no later than December 31, 2019; and

 

     (3)  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 Agriculture and Environment and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 239, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 239, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Ways and Means.

 

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

 

________________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair

 

________________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair