House Committee on Finance (FIN) - chair: Sylvia Luke, vice chair: Scott Y. Nishimoto

Tuesday, April 7, 2015, 2:30 p.m., Room 308

Testifier: Nancy Davlantes, Legislative Committee Member, LWV of Hawaii

Click here to view SB382 HD2

Chair Luke, Vice-Chair Nishimoto, and Committee Members: The League of Women Voters of Hawaii opposes the proposed SB382 HD2 because of process problems. The original bill establishes a grant program for qualified feed developers within the Livestock Revitalization Program and appropriates funds for the Grant Program, reimbursements to Qualified Producers for feed cost, and a survey of local feed ingredient sources. Up until March 30 had progressed through the House unaltered by the introduction of any new text that would invite the label “Frankenbill.” This is the unflattering label that certainly applies to the Proposed HD2 version. The Proposed HD2 has added an entirely new section proposing funding for Future Farmers of America. Both subjects worthy of consideration? Yes, definitely, but the added section has nothing to do with a grant program for qualified feed developers. The League testified in opposition to a companion bill, HB508, which, in its travels through the Senate, also had an entirely unrelated section added, this one on the cultivation of industrial hemp, in HB 508 SD1 In both bills, whatever one’s take on the cultivation/production of industrial hemp or funding for the Future Farmers of America, the new subject in either or both bills may pass the Legislature without adequate consideration by the body that originated the bill. In case it has escaped notice, this lack of due process is prohibited by the Hawaii Constitution. This is not how the legislative process is supposed to work, and those who are elected by the people are supposed to know better. Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony.