STAND. COM. REP. NO. 955

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 479

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 479, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to minimize the risk of disease and pest introduction in the State.

More specifically, this measure requires the Department of Agriculture to collaborate with agricultural growers and researchers to develop and implement a program to safely distribute disease- and insect-free tropical plant materials to Hawaii farmers.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from Hawaii Farm Bureau and one individual.

Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee finds that the importation of flowers and foliage from outside the State creates an elevated risk of inadvertently introducing destructive insects and diseases to the State's farms and plant nurseries. Your Committee further finds that the program established by this measure would provide a safe way for disease- and insect-free tropical plant materials to be distributed within the State.

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

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. 479, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 479, S.D. 2.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair