STAND. COM. REP. NO. 951

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 783

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 783, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Require the Department of Agriculture to establish a two-year agricultural theft pilot project to focus on investigating and prosecuting agricultural theft and agricultural vandalism in the County of Hawaii; and

     (2)  Appropriate funds to the Department of Agriculture to establish and implement the pilot project.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Office of the Mayor of the County of Hawaii; Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, County of Hawai‘i; Ulupono Initiative; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; and fifteen individuals.

     Your Committees find that agricultural theft and vandalism in the County of Hawaii are impediments to running a successful and profitable farming operation and are harmful to consumers.  Agricultural theft and vandalism are a serious, ongoing problem, with farmers reporting theft of crops, animals, equipment, and tools, and vandalized fences and gates.  Since many incidents of agricultural theft and vandalism are not reported, the annual monetary losses can only be estimated in the millions of dollars.  By establishing an agricultural theft and vandalism pilot project for the County of Hawaii, this measure provides additional focus on investigating and prosecuting agriculture theft and vandalism.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Requiring the Department of Agriculture to submit its report to the Legislature no later than December 31, 2019;

     (2)  Making it effective on July 1, 2017; and

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

     Your Committees recommend that if your Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Ways and Means choose to pass this measure that they consider inserting an appropriation amount of $100,000 for the agricultural theft and vandalism pilot project.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 783, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 783, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs,

________________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair