STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2894

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2084

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

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 S.B. No. 2084 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish the agricultural land acquisition fund.

 

     More specifically, this measure:

 

     (1)  Establishes the agricultural land acquisition fund; and

 

     (2)  Makes appropriations into and out of the fund.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Agribusiness Development Corporation, Ulupono Initiative, Hawaii Cattlemens Council, and Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation.

 

     Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance, and Tax Foundation of Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee finds that Article XI, section 3, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii requires the State to conserve and protect agricultural lands, promote diversified agriculture, increase agricultural self-sufficiency, and ensure the availability of agriculturally suitable lands.  Your Committee believes that the agricultural land acquisition fund will help the State to fulfill these requirements.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

 

(2)  Making technical nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     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 S.B. No. 2084, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2084, S.D. 1.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair