STAND. COM. REP. NO. 780

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 430

S.D. 2

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. 430, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII FARM TO FOOD BANK PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to alleviate food shortages in the State while promoting local agriculture.

More specifically, the measure:

(1) Establishes a Hawaii farm to food bank program, to be administered by the Office of Community Services of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, to relieve food shortages experienced by low-income and unemployed residents of the State by distributing fresh, locally grown or produced food to those persons;

(2) Establishes the Hawaii food assistance program special fund, capitalizes the special fund with $5,000,000 from the general fund, and appropriates this amount for hunger relief efforts; and

(3) Exempts the Hawaii food assistance program special fund from certain provisions of Chapter 36, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to management of state funds.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Office of Community Services of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Maui County Council, Hawaii Children's Action Network Speaks!, Hawaii Public Health Institute, Hawaii Primary Care Association, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Ulupono Initiative, Hawaii Farmers Union United, 350Hawaii.org, Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Hawaii Foodbank, Hawaii Food Plus Policy, and four individuals.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that the Hawaii farm to food bank program established by this measure will serve the State's food needs, provide local food producers with a wider market to support their operations, and keep moneys circulating within the State to boost the local economy.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the role of the Hawaii farm to food bank program is to provide financial support for the distribution of food to persons in need;

(2) Changing the appropriation from $5,000,000 to an unspecified amount;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(4) Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

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. 430, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 430, S.D. 2.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair