STAND. COM. REP. NO.  347

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

 

RE:   H.B. No. 243

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 243 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO IRRIGATION SYSTEMS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to help ensure a reliable source of water for farming operations in the state by authorizing the issuance of general obligation bonds, with proceeds to be deposited into the Irrigation Repair and Maintenance Special Fund and used to fund repair and maintenance of specific irrigation systems in each county of the state, and for the Agricultural Water Use Development Plan and agricultural resource management.

 

     Two members of the Maui County Council, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Kona County Farm Bureau, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, and Hawaii Agriculture Research Center supported this bill.  The Department of Agriculture and Department of Land and Natural Resources submitted comments.

 

     Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Renaming the existing Irrigation Repair and Maintenance Special Fund as the Agricultural Infrastructure Improvement Special Fund (Improvement Special Fund), and expanding the list of items for which funds in the Improvement Special Fund may be used to include agricultural water and land planning;

 

     (2)  Adding the taro farmers' irrigation system in Hanalei, Kauai, to the specific list of irrigation systems receiving funding in this measure; and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 243, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 243, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

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

 

 

		____________________________ CLIFT TSUJI, Chair