STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1056

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 782

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. 782, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TARO,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to increase the amount of taro grown in the State.

More specifically, the measure:

(1) Establishes a grant program within the Department of Agriculture to assist taro farmers in meeting the costs of cultivating taro for consumption, subject to certain specified terms and conditions; and

(2) Appropriates unspecified amounts for the grant program.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Office of the Mayor of the County of Maui, Hawaii Farmers Union United, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action, Food+ Policy Internship, and one individual.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General.

Your Committee finds that this measure recognizes the critical importance of protecting and perpetuating taro farming as a traditional cultural practice and, accordingly, also finds a compelling public interest in providing grant funding to taro farmers to continue the traditional practice of taro farming in the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting a list of standards with which grant applicants and recipients must comply, to address a constitutional concern raised by the Department of the Attorney General in its written comments;

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

(3) 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. 782, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 782, 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