Bill Text: HI HB1532 | 2014 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Department of Food and Agriculture

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-01-30 - The committee(s) on AGR recommend(s) that the measure be deferred. [HB1532 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2014-HB1532-Introduced.html

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1532

TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2014

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to food and agriculture.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


SECTION 1.  Hawaii is located approximately two thousand five hundred miles from the contiguous United States.  About eighty-five to ninety per cent of Hawaii's food is imported, which makes the State especially vulnerable to natural disasters and global events that could disrupt shipping and other modes of transporting food.

The legislature finds that greater emphasis must be placed on:

(1)  Improving and strengthening food security; and

(2)  Increasing and enhancing food safety,

in Hawaii.

     Act 55, Session Laws of Hawaii 2013, supported food security in Hawaii by promoting the increased purchase and use of locally grown food and food products by residents, businesses, and governmental entities.

     Act 106, Session Laws of Hawaii 2013, established a good agricultural practices task force to identify and develop good agricultural practices and preventive-measure guidelines to ensure food safety throughout the local farm-to-consumer food-supply system.

     In light of such important concerns, the focus of the department of agriculture should be broadened to include food security and safety, and the name of the department should be changed to reflect its new scope.

The purpose of this Act is to rename the department of agriculture to the department of food and agriculture.

     SECTION 2.  Section 26-16, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§26-16  Department of food and agriculture.  (a)  The department of food and agriculture shall be headed by an executive board to be known as the board of food and agriculture.  The board shall consist of ten members:

     (1)  One who shall be a resident of the county of Hawaii;

     (2)  One who shall be a resident of the county of Maui;

     (3)  One who shall be a resident of the county of Kauai;

     (4)  Four at large; and

     (5)  The chairperson of the board of land and natural resources; the director of business, economic development, and tourism; and the dean of the University of Hawaii college of tropical agriculture and human resources, or their designated representatives, who shall serve as ex officio voting members.

The majority of the members of the board shall be from the agricultural community or the agricultural support sector.  The appointment, tenure, and removal of the members and the filling of vacancies on the board shall be as provided in section 26-34. The governor shall appoint a chairperson of the board from the members.

     (b)  The board may delegate to the chairperson such duties, powers, and authority, or so much thereof, as may be lawful or proper for the performance of the functions vested in the board.

     The chairperson of the board shall serve in a full-time capacity.  The chairperson shall, in that capacity:

     (1)  Perform such duties and exercise such powers and authority, or so much thereof, as may be delegated to the chairperson by the board; and

     (2)  Identify problems related to food and agriculture and the appropriate state agencies and departments needed to solve the problem.  With the approval of the governor, the designated agencies shall provide any necessary assistance to the chairperson until the problem is resolved.

     (c)  The department shall:

     (1)  Promote the conservation, development, and utilization of agricultural resources in the State;

     (2)  Assist the farmers of the State and any others engaged in agriculture by research projects, dissemination of information, crop and livestock reporting service, market news service, and any other means of improving the well-being of those engaged in agriculture and increasing the productivity of the lands;

     (3)  Administer the programs of the State relating to animal husbandry, entomology, farm credit, development and promotion of agricultural products and markets, and the establishment and enforcement of the rules on the grading and labeling of agricultural products; [and]

     (4)  Administer the aquaculture program under section 141-2.5[.]; and

     (5)  Promote food safety and security.

     (d)  The functions and authority heretofore exercised by the board of commissioners of agriculture and forestry (except the management of state parks and the conservation, development, and utilization of forest resources, including regulatory powers over the forest reserve provided in Act 234, section 2, Session Laws of Hawaii 1957, and of fish and game resources transferred to the department of land and natural resources), by the farm loan board as heretofore constituted, and by the University of Hawaii with respect to the crop and livestock reporting service and market news service, are transferred to the department of food and agriculture established by this chapter."

     SECTION 2.  Upon enactment of this Act, the revisor of statutes shall substitute the words "department of food and agriculture" or "board of food and agriculture" wherever the words "department of agriculture", "board of agriculture", or like terms, appear, as the context requires, and every reference to the department of agriculture or chairperson of the board of agriculture therein shall be construed as a reference to the department of food and agriculture and the chairperson of the board of food and agriculture, as appropriate.

     SECTION 3.  All rules, policies, procedures, guidelines, and other material adopted or developed by the department of agriculture to implement provisions of the Hawaii Revised Statutes that are made applicable to the department of food and agriculture by this Act, shall remain in full force and effect until amended or repealed by the department of food and agriculture, pursuant to chapter 91, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

     In the interim, every reference to the department of agriculture, board of agriculture, or the chairperson of the board of agriculture in those rules, policies, procedures, guidelines, and other material is amended to refer to the department of food and agriculture, board of food and agriculture, or the chairperson of the board of food and agriculture, as appropriate.

     SECTION 4.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 


 


 

Report Title:

Department of Food and Agriculture

 

Description:

Renames the Department of Agriculture the Department of Food and Agriculture.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

 

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