STAND. COM. REP. NO. 524-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2754

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems, to which was referred H.B. No. 2754 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a Plant-Based Building Materials Working Group to report on how best to grow plants and develop plant-based building materials in Hawaii and provide economic development and green jobs, while sequestering greenhouse gases to help achieve the State's climate target.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Office of Planning and Sustainable Development; Citizens' Climate Lobby Hawaii; Hawaiʻi Reef and Ocean Coalition; Climate Protectors Hawaiʻi; Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; Building Decarbonization Task Force of the Hawaiʻi Environmental Change Agents; Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; Hawaiʻi Forest Industry Association; and seven individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii's climate, with a year-round growing season and ample rain in many areas, has several potential advantages for growing plant-based materials that can be processed into structural building materials. Additionally, these plant-based materials could also help the State meet its net-negative carbon and greenhouse gas goals. This measure would establish a working group to explore the development of plant-based building materials in Hawaii, which could provide significant economic and environmental benefits.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that the development of plant-based building materials in the State is a matter of statewide concern;

(2) Expanding the membership of the working group to include the State Sustainability Coordinator and President of the Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau;

(3) Extending the sunset date of the working group to June 30, 2026;

(4) Inserting an appropriation of an unspecified amount to assist the working group in its duties;

(5) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(6) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2754, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2754, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems,

____________________________

CEDRIC ASUEGA GATES, Chair