STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2189

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2170

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Economic Development and Tourism, to which was referred S.B. No. 2170 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE NORTH KOHALA KYNNERSLY EAST SITE LAND PARCEL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds for the Agribusiness Development Corporation to purchase the North Kohala Kynnersly East Site Land Parcel for agricultural development.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Agribusiness Development Corporation and Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau.

Your Committee finds that strengthening the local agricultural sector is integral to achieving the State's food security and economic diversification goals. Public acquisition of land parcels in North Kohala that are well-suited to diversified agriculture would promote local production, rural economic development, and long-term economic capacity. This measure makes a strategic investment to improve the State's food system resilience, achieve institutional procurement goals, and enhance the State's agricultural export potential.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the general obligation bonds authorization and appropriation amount from $2,600,000 to an unspecified amount to encourage further discussion on the measure; and

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

Your Committee notes that this measure, as amended, contains an unspecified general obligation bonds authorization and appropriation amount. Should your Committee on Ways and Means choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider inserting an amount of $2,600,000 for the purpose of financing the purchase of parcels of land for agricultural development identified as tax map keys: (3) 5-3-4:19, (3) 5‑4‑11:18, and (3) 5-4-11:48.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development and Tourism that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2170, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2170, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development and Tourism,

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LYNN DECOITE, Chair