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HB452
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H.B. NO.
452
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII
A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating
to meat processing
.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
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SECTION
1.
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The legislature finds that there is a
need for increased meat processing capacity in the State, as smaller ranchers
and hunters compete for limited capacity, resulting in the loss of potential
use of wild game meat.
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The
legislature further finds that axis deer, an invasive species that poses a
continuing threat to Hawaii's environment, and other wild game could provide
significant quantities of meat as a protein source and enhance the State's food
security.
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However, there is a gap
between the hunters and these non-profit services because the meat needs to be
processed prior to distribution.
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Other
states have developed processes for this purpose, including licensing fees and
funding managed by wildlife agencies or non-profits.
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The
purpose of this Act is to require and appropriate funds for the department of
business, economic development, and tourism to develop and implement a grant
program to expand the meat processing capacity in the State.
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SECTION 2.
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(a)
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The
department of business, economic development, and tourism shall develop and
implement a grant program to expand the meat processing capacity in the State.
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The grant program may include financial
assistance to establish new meat processing facilities with a donation
component or expand existing facilities to include a donation component to
enable hunters to donate meat from axis deer and other wild game to these
facilities.
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(b)
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The department of business, economic
development, and tourism may collaborate with the department of agriculture,
department of land and natural resources' division of forestry and wildlife,
and department of health's food safety branch in developing the grant program.
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(c)
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The program shall provide grants to qualified
applicants with the following terms and conditions:
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(1)
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No grants shall be given unless money has been
spent by the applicant toward expanding the meat processing capacity in the
State;
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(2)
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The total amount of a grant to any one
applicant shall not exceed
$ ; and
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(3)
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No grant shall be given for costs that were
incurred more than five years prior to the time the application for the grant
is received by the department of business, economic development, and tourism.
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(d)
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The department of business, economic
development, and tourism shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91, Hawaii
Revised Statutes, to carry out the purposes of the grant program.
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The grant applications shall be reviewed and
approved by an administrative staff member of the department of business,
economic development, and tourism.
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SECTION
3.
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There is appropriated out of the
general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of
$ or so much
thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so
much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the grant
program to expand the meat processing capacity in the State pursuant to this
Act.
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The sums
appropriated shall be expended by the
department of business, economic development, and tourism for the purposes of
this Act.
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SECTION 4.
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This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.
INTRODUCED BY:
_____________________________
Report Title:
Meat
Processing Capacity; Grant Program; Expansion; Food Distribution Services;
Appropriation
Description:
Requires the Department of Business, Economic Development,
and Tourism to develop and implement a grant program to expand the meat
processing capacity in the State.
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Appropriates funds.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.