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

Wednesday, April 8, 2015, 9:55 a..m., Room 211

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

Click here to view HB508 SD1

Chairs Keith-Agaran and Tokuda, Vice-Chairs Shimabukuro and Kouchi, and Committee Members: The League of Women Voters of Hawaii opposes HB508 HD1 SD1 on the basis of process problems. The original bill establishes within the Livestock Revitalization Program a grant program for qualified feed developers and appropriates funds for the Feed Developer Grant Program, reimbursements to Qualified Producers for feed cost, and a survey of local feed ingredient sources. The Proposed SD1 added an entirely new section having to do with industrial hemp. Both subjects worthy of consideration? Yes, definitely. We note that SB375 also dealt with industrial hemp and crossed over to the House but was faced with referral to three house committees, creating doubts about its survival. Whatever one’s take on the cultivation/production of industrial hemp, with the SD1, the bill’s new subject may pass the Legislature without adequate consideration by the House, which originated the bill. This is not how the legislative process is supposed to work. Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony.