STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2545

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3026

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 3026 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PESTICIDES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to replace representatives of the sugar and pineapple industries on the Advisory Committee on Pesticides with representatives of the coffee and diversified agriculture industries.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, University of Hawaiʻi System, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and Hawaii Food+ Policy.

Your Committee finds that the Advisory Committee on Pesticides advises and assists the Department of Agriculture in developing and revising laws and rules to carry out and effectuate the Hawaii Pesticides Law. Your Committee recognizes that the existing membership of the Advisory Committee includes representatives of the sugar and pineapple industries as sugar and pineapple plantations were once the foundation of Hawaii's agricultural economy. However, since the 1970s, the number of sugar and pineapple plantations in the State has greatly decreased, giving way to producers of coffee and other diversified agriculture. This measure updates the membership of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides to better represent the existing composition of the agriculture industry in the State.

 

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3026 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture and Environment,

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MIKE GABBARD, Chair