STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1935-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 2989

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2989, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

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 general funds into and out of the Healthy Soils Program Special Fund for the establishment of the Healthy Soils Program and to issue awards and other financial incentives under the program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one member of the Hawai‘i County Council; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; Kauai Women's Caucus; Climate Protectors Hawai‘i; Hawai‘i Farmers Union United; Hawaii Association for Marine Education and Research; Hawai‘i Alliance for Progressive Action; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; 350Hawaii.org; and eighteen individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2022; and

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

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

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair