STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1193-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 3025

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 Agriculture & Food Systems, to which was referred S.B. No. 3025 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEMP,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Make imposition of the fine penalty applicable to any violation of the commercial hemp production licensure requirement as well as restrictions on growing and transporting hemp;

(2) Repeal the requirement for the adoption of additional rules by the Department of Agriculture to address nuisance issues, including smell, noise, and excessive lighting, arising out of the activities of hemp growers; and

(3) Clarify that the Department of Agriculture shall not require inspections or sampling of hemp that duplicates inspections and sampling required by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee finds that existing law requires the Department of Agriculture to create additional rules that address nuisance issues resulting from hemp production, despite the fact that regulations already exist under Department of Health rules and county land use ordinances. Existing law also prohibits the State from imposing penalties on licensed hemp producers for certain violations, such as the illegal use of pesticides or hemp production within buffer zones. Your Committee further finds that this measure would reduce the duplication and confusion arising from the existence of two separate regulatory authorities and strengthen the State's ability to enforce laws and regulations involving hemp production.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

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

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

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 S.B. No. 3025, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3025, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems,

____________________________

CEDRIC ASUEGA GATES, Chair