STAND. COM. REP. NO. 550

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 972

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 H.B. No. 972 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ANIMAL INDUSTRY SPECIAL FUND,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Add revenue generated by the State Veterinary Laboratory and Animal Disease Control Branch as sources for the Animal Industry Special Fund; and

(2) Clarify that the funds from the Animal Industry Special Fund may be expended to make laboratory improvements.

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

Your Committee finds that the State Veterinary Laboratory conducts laboratory services, diagnostic support, and disease surveillance projects in poultry, swine, dairy, other livestock, and aquaculture industries. This measure secures additional resources to support the State Veterinary Laboratory in providing veterinary diagnostic services in State, thereby reducing delays in obtaining results and potentially generating revenue to assist with the operations of the Department of Agriculture's Animal Industry Division in the future.

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 H.B. No. 972, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 972, 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