STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1732

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 615

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 615, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RESTRICTIONS ON AGRICULTURAL USES AND ACTIVITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify that any provision in a private agreement contained in a conveyance of land recorded on or before July 8, 2003, that has since expired but has not been renewed and recorded in the Bureau of Conveyances is prohibited from restricting bona fide agricultural uses and activities on agricultural land.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, and Hawai‘i Farm Bureau.

Your Committee finds that this measure is aligned with prior legislation that prohibits private restrictions of agricultural activities and uses on agricultural land.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making it effective upon its approval.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 615, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 615, H.D. 1, S.D. 1.

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

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KARL RHOADS, Chair