STAND. COM. REP. NO. 680

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 609

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems, to which was referred H.B. No. 609 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate $250,000 to the Department of Agriculture for three full-time equivalent (3.0 FTE) inspectors to perform meat inspection services.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Maui County Farm Bureau; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; and four individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from Animal Rights Hawai‘i. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture and one individual.

Your Committee finds that a restoration of the state meat inspection program, which was discontinued in the mid-1990s due to cuts in budget and staffing, could help increase capacity, diversify options, and reduce congestion in the processing of locally produced meat.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the purpose of the appropriation is for the meat inspection program under chapter 159, Hawaii Revised Statutes, including three full-time equivalent (3.0 FTE) inspectors to perform meat inspection services;

(2) Changing its effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee requests your Committee on Finance, should it choose to deliberate on this measure, to consider increasing the appropriation amount to $1,000,000, as requested by the Department of Agriculture.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 609, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 609, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems,

____________________________

CEDRIC ASUEGA GATES, Chair