STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1064

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 73

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 Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 73 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL PARK LEASES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the Department of Agriculture to extend certain agricultural leases by an additional thirty years.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii Farm Bureau, Land Use Research Foundation, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association, Maui County Farm Bureau, Local Food Coalition, Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Ono Nut Farms, Panaewa Foliage, and nine individuals.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Department of Agriculture, and Kupuna for the Moopuna.

Your Committee finds that this measure will help farmers having less than fifteen years remaining on their lease to obtain significant lease extensions, which will make it economically feasible for those individuals and entities to invest more capital into their farms and help to increase food production in Hawaii.

Your Committee acknowledges that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs has requested that the public land trust lands be excluded from this measure. In this regard, your Committee emphasizes its support for Senate Bill No. 1235, which, if enacted, would help to complete the long-awaited inventory of ceded lands.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 73, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 73, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair