STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3655

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 

 

RE:     H.B. No. 2115

        H.D. 1

        S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2115, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for the operation of the K-12 agriculture workforce development pipeline initiative.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Department of Agriculture, Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, Hawaii Aquaculture and Aquaponics Association, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, HFUU, Hawaii State Teachers Association, Maui County Farm Bureau, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and a number of individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that it is essential that the State continue to support programs that work to expand and develop the agricultural workforce.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the amount of the appropriation for the operations of the K-12 agriculture workforce development pipeline initiative from $200,000 to an unspecified sum;

 

     (2)  Adding a new part II to the measure that amends Act 163, Session Laws of Hawaii 2017, by providing that the Department of Agriculture's biosecurity program shall be funded in fiscal year 2018-2019 using funds from the general fund and the pest inspection, quarantine, and eradication fund, rather than the agricultural development and food security special fund; and

 

     (3)  Inserting an effective date of:

 

          (A)  June 30, 2050, for section 4; and

 

          (B)  July 1, 2050, for section 5,

 

     to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2115, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2115, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair