STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1546

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 646

S.D. 1

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. 646, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ORNAMENTAL GINGER,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the University of Hawaii for statewide research into ornamental ginger pathogens, prevention of the spread of ornamental ginger pathogens, production and distribution of pathogen-free ornamental ginger plants, and outreach to ornamental ginger producers.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, University of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, East Oahu County Farm Bureau, and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that this measure's multi-faceted approach to addressing existing and emerging plant pathogens affecting the commercial production of ornamental ginger will help to control and prevent the spread of these pathogens and thus protect the health of ornamental ginger plants and their long-term sustainability as a floriculture product.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

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. 646, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 646, S.D. 1, 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