STAND. COM. REP. NO. 604

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 970

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. 970 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL LANDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to make technical changes to the statutory definitions of "agricultural enterprise lands" and "non-agricultural park lands" for purposes of clarification and consistency.

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

Your Committee finds that this measure remedies technical inconsistencies in statutory definitions.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing its effective date to June 30, 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 H.B. No. 970, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 970, 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