CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 220-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 2989

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2989, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Agriculture to establish a Healthy Soils Program;

(2) Establish a Healthy Soils Program Special Fund; and

(3) Appropriate funds.

Your Committee on Conference finds that soil health is critical to Hawaii's agricultural industry. Additionally, soil carbon stocks can serve as an important source for carbon sequestration. This measure requires the Department of Agriculture to establish a Healthy Soils Program to help the State meet its sustainability goals.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Removing the establishment of a Healthy Soils Program Special Fund;

(2) Inserting an appropriation amount of $500,000; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2989, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2989, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ MARK J. HASHEM Co-Chair	____________________________ MIKE GABBARD Chair
____________________________ AMY A. PERRUSO Co-Chair	____________________________ DRU KANUHA Co-Chair