STAND. COM. REP. NO.  535

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 783

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 783 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish and appropriate funds for a two-year Agricultural Theft and Vandalism Pilot Project to examine the effectiveness of prosecuting agricultural theft and agricultural vandalism in the County of Hawaii.

The Department of Agriculture, County of Hawaii Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, Ulupono Initiative, and Hawaii Farm Bureau testified in support of this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 783, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 783, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

____________________________

SCOTT Y. NISHIMOTO, Chair