STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3144

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2989

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2989 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish the healthy soils grant program to determine, and incentivize the implementation of, practices that contribute to healthy soils.

More specifically, this measure:

(1) Requires the Department of Agriculture to establish a healthy soils grant program;

(2) Establishes requirements and long-term goals of the healthy soils grant program;

(3) Establishes the healthy soils grant program special fund;

(4) Requires the Department of Agriculture to submit a report to the Legislature on the healthy soils grant program; and

(5) Appropriates moneys for the establishment of the healthy soils grant program and awarding of grants pursuant to the program.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action, Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Hawaii Farmers Union United, and one individual.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General and Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that by protecting and improving the health of soils throughout the State, this measure will help to strengthen the State's food security and create positive impacts on the environment.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the name of the healthy soils grant program and healthy soils grant program special fund to "healthy soils program" and "healthy soils program special fund", respectively;

(2) Clarifying that the purpose of the healthy soils program is to issue awards instead of grants;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(4) Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

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. 2989, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2989, S.D. 1.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair