STAND. COM. REP. NO.  238-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2454

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2454 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC LANDS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to establish incentives for taro cultivation by requiring the Board of Land and Natural Resources to provide reduced lease rent rates at the beginning of a lease to qualified farmers who farm taro on public land. 

     The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Maui County Farm Bureau, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, and the Hawaiian Political Action Council of Hawaii supported this bill.  The Department of Agriculture did not support this bill.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources opposed this measure.  Several concerned individuals submitted comments.

     Your Committees are aware of the existing ongoing dialogue between state agencies and taro farmers and other interested stakeholders.  This measure is not intended to interfere with these collaborative discussions.  Instead, the intent of this measure is to provide additional resources to support, preserve, and protect taro and taro farming in the state.

     In addition, your Committees note that Hawaii's public trust lands under the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands are leased for $1 per year.  As this measure makes its way through the legislative process, your Committees respectfully request future legislative efforts to consider the establishment of $1 lease rent rates for the lands leased to qualified taro framers under this measure.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2454 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________ KEN ITO, Chair

____________________________ CLIFT TSUJI, Chair