Bill Text: HI SB752 | 2013 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Agribusiness Development Corporation; Agricultural Land Acquisition Fund; Environmental Response, Energy, and Food Security Tax

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-02-14 - Report adopted; Passed Second Reading and referred to WAM. [SB752 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2013-SB752-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO. 287

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 752

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 752 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE AGRIBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Establish the agricultural land acquisition special fund for the purchase of agricultural land by the Agribusiness Development Corporation for the protection of agricultural lands, public land banking, promotion of farm ownership, and agricultural diversity;

 

     (2)  Allocate an unspecified portion of the environmental response, energy, and food security tax to be deposited into the special fund; and

 

     (3)  Require the Agribusiness Development Corporation to report annually to the Legislature summarizing all expenditures of special fund monies.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Agribusiness Development Corporation and Hawaii Cattlemen's Council.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture and Tax Foundation of Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee finds that protecting agricultural lands and promoting farm ownership and agricultural diversity are vital to the State's economic sustainability and food resiliency.  This measure will provide necessary funds to assist the Agribusiness Development Corporation in its mission to protect and promote farm lands.

 

     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 S.B. No. 752 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

		____________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair