STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1417

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 420

S.D. 2

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 S.B. No. 420, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish within the Department of Agriculture a Sustainable Food Systems Working Group to develop an Interagency Food Systems Plan.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources; Hawai‘i Tourism Authority; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Hawai‘i Food+ Policy; Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council, Inc.; North Shore Economic Vitality Partnership; Hawai‘i Fishermen's Alliance for Conservation and Tradition, Inc.; Hawai‘i Alliance for Progressive Action; Hawai‘i Farmers Union United; Hawaii Food Industry Association; Chamber of Sustainable Commerce; Hawai‘i Foodbank; Sierra Club of Hawai‘i; and nineteen individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee finds that as a place especially vulnerable to natural and human disasters that may adversely affect its food security, Hawaii needs to encourage the development of local, sustainable food systems. The establishment of a Sustainable Food Systems Working Group to develop an Interagency Food Systems Plan is an important step in that direction.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Modifying the composition of the Sustainable Food Systems Working Group;

(2) Requiring each county's food access plans to be incorporated into the Interagency Food Systems Plan;

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

(4) 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 Agriculture & Food Systems that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 420, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 420, S.D. 2, 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