STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1021

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 1225

       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 Economic Development and Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 1225 entitled:

 

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

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, to perform:

     (1)  Planning and feasibility studies for one or more quarantine inspection, quarantine treatment, deconsolidation, and consolidation facilities on the Island of Hawaii; and

     (2)  A marketing and economic impact analysis for one or more of the facilities.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii; Hawaii Farm Bureau; Hawaii Farmers Union United; The Nature Conservancy; Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species; Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association; REALTORS Association of Maui, Inc.; Hawaii Association of REALTORS; Hawaii Island School Garden Network; and two individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

 

     Your Committees find that one of the missions of the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism is to promote industrial development and economic diversification by supporting existing and emerging industries, increasing exports of Hawaii products, and expanding Hawaii's participation in global trade and commerce; however, increased trade leads to an increased risk for invasive species.  Given the Island of Hawaii's strong orientation toward diversified agriculture, development of a central marketing facility for collection, consolidation, packing, and shipping of products is a priority.  Your Committees further find that to preserve and increase the value of agriculture as an economic driver, the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, should perform planning and economic impact and feasibility studies for one or more facilities on the Island of Hawaii for quarantine inspection, quarantine treatment, deconsolidation, and consolidation of agricultural commodities for import and export purposes.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by inserting language to include Kona International Airport as an alternative location for one or more quarantine inspection, quarantine treatment, deconsolidation, and consolidation facilities.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Economic Development and Technology that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1225, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1225, 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 Economic Development and Technology,

 

________________________________

GLENN WAKAI, Chair

 

________________________________

RUSSELL E. RUDERMAN, Chair