STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2276

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2407

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Economic Development and Tourism and Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2407 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds to the Agribusiness Development Corporation for the purchase of an agricultural parcel for agricultural development;

(2) Establish one full-time equivalent Hawaii Island Property Manager position within the Agribusiness Development Corporation; and

(3) Appropriate funds.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Agribusiness Development Corporation, Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau, Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United, and Kohala Community Land Trust.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General and Hawaiʻi Food+ Policy.

Your Committees find that strengthening local food production and increasing the use of locally grown products by public institutions are policy mandates integral to the State's economic development and resiliency goals. Soil and crop suitability data indicates that lands in North Kohala are well-suited to diversified agricultural production that would support both institutional food supply needs, such as those of the Department of Education for school meals, and higher-value specialty and export markets. This measure makes a strategic public investment to advance the State's food security mandates, institutional purchasing goals, economic diversification, and agricultural export potential.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation amount from:

(A) $1,000,000 to an unspecified amount for the purpose of financing the purchase of a parcel of land for agricultural development; and

(B) $200,000 to an unspecified amount for the establishment of one full-time-equivalent Hawaii Island Property Manager Position within the Agribusiness Development Corporation,

to encourage further discussion on the measure;

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

(3) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Economic Development and Tourism and Agriculture and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2407, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2407, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Economic Development and Tourism and Agriculture and Environment,

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair

________________________________ LYNN DECOITE, Chair