STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1242-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 2814

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 2814, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WATER INFRASTRUCTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Agribusiness Development Corporation and counties, to conduct a water infrastructure study for the State; and

(2) Appropriate funds to the Department of Agriculture for the statewide water infrastructure study.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Agribusiness Development Corporation; Ulupono Initiative; Local Food Coalition; Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources and Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee finds that water projects are of critical importance to overall food production within the State and must be accurately categorized, properly maintained, and effectively managed. Your Committee further finds that developing an inventory of agricultural water infrastructure through a study is necessary to track the condition and maintenance needs of the State's agricultural water infrastructure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that the study shall be an agricultural water infrastructure study;

(2) Changing the deadline for report submittal to November 1, 2026;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2024-2025.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2814, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2814, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,

____________________________

LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair