STAND. COM. REP. NO.613

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 550

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 550, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to include silvicultural products within the definition of "agricultural commodity" for the purposes of reporting agricultural theft and to require certificates of ownership for agricultural commodities of any weight or dollar value.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Board of Agriculture, the Pineapple Growers Association of Hawaii, the Hawaii Farm Bureau, and the Hawaii Forest Industry Association.

Your Committee finds that silvicultural products – logs, timber, and processed wood – are similarly affected by agricultural theft as other agricultural commodities. Your Committee further finds that deleting the weight and dollar amount requirements for certificates of ownership will close a loophole in the law, and thereby strengthen the protections against agricultural theft that this regulatory mechanism provides.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 550, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing,

____________________________

RON MENOR, Chair