CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 221-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 3004

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. 3004, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMPOSTING,"

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) Establish and appropriate funds for a compost reimbursement program within the Department of Agriculture and for one full-time permanent compost reimbursement program manager position; and

(2) Require an annual progress report to the Legislature prior to each regular session.

Your Committee on Conference finds that composting has significant environmental and social benefits, including for agricultural operations. Act 89, Session Laws of Hawaii 2018, established a three-year compost reimbursement pilot program that was then repealed on December 31, 2021. This measure establishes and appropriates funds for a compost reimbursement program to be administered by the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting a definition for "landscaping operation";

(2) Inserting appropriation amounts of $945,000 for the Compost Reimbursement Program and $55,000 for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) program manager position; and

(3) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2022.

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. 3004, 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. 3004, 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

____________________________ NICOLE E. LOWEN Co-Chair	____________________________ MIKE GABBARD Chair
____________________________ LISA MARTEN Co-Chair	____________________________ GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN Co-Chair