Report Title:

Agricultural; Appropriation for Task Force

Description:

Appropriates funds to establish an interagency task force to abate agricultural theft. (SB2482 HD1)

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2482

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

making an appropriation to abate agricultural theft.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that losses due to agricultural theft amount to millions of dollars annually. The theft of agricultural commodities increases each year at an alarming rate, leading to huge losses for farmers. With these losses, the sustainability of many agricultural ventures is in jeopardy. This Act will assist in abating agricultural theft by bringing together the stakeholders to develop and implement solutions.

The legislature also finds that in 2001, the senate agriculture committee conducted statewide hearings on the issue of agricultural theft and as one of its findings, determined that a coordinated effort among all affected parties would be needed in order to deter agricultural-related thefts. The senate committee also found that in California, an interagency task force was established, consisting of representatives from the state and county law enforcement agencies, and the farming community, to develop and implement nonstatutory solutions such as educational seminars and other means by which to deter the loss of agricultural commodities and equipment. The legislature believes that the formation of such a task force would provide an ongoing forum in which strategies to deter agriculture theft may be disseminated throughout the State.

The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to abate agricultural theft by establishing a task force. In addition, this Act amends the definition of agricultural commodities to include timber and lumber.

SECTION 2. Section 145-21, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"[[]§145-21[]] Definition. For purposes of this part, "agricultural commodity" means timber, lumber, or any fruit, nut, or vegetable that is the food product of any tree, vine, or plant, or any aquacultural, horticultural, or floricultural product."

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2002-2003 for the purpose of establishing an agricultural theft abatement task force.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of agriculture for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. The task force shall include members chosen by the chairperson of the board of agriculture from the various county prosecutors' offices and police departments, the state department of agriculture, the attorney general's office, the agricultural community, and other representatives as the department of agriculture deems appropriate. The chairperson of the board of agriculture or the chairperson's designee shall serve as chair of the task force.

The task force shall develop policies and programs to be implemented by the department of agriculture to abate agricultural-related thefts throughout the State.

The task force shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2003. The task force shall dissolve thereafter.

SECTION 5. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2002.