STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1114

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 971

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 971, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL LOANS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the Agricultural Emergency Loan Revolving Fund, to be administered by the Department of Agriculture, to fund Class D emergency loans;

(2) Provide a separate source of funding for agricultural emergency loans; and

(3) Appropriate funds.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure by the Department of Agriculture, Ulupono Initiative, Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, and one individual.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the appropriations to unspecified amounts.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 971, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 971, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair