CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 18-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 2246

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madam and Sir:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 2246, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL GRANT ADMINISTRATION,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish an Agricultural Grant Program and Agricultural Grant Revolving Fund to allow the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to retain and expend federal indirect overhead reimbursements for the purposes of grant searching, application, execution, reporting, and auditing; and

(2) Appropriate funds out of the Agricultural Grant Revolving Fund for the Agricultural Grant Program.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting the appropriation out of the Agricultural Grant Revolving Fund;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2026; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2246, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2246, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ MIKE GABBARD Chair	____________________________ CORY CHUN Co-Chair
____________________________ HERBERT M. RICHARDS, III Co-Chair	____________________________ MATTHIAS KUSCH Co-Chair