HB 859 Hawaii House · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Summary
Establishes an agricultural crime prevention program within the Department of Agriculture to provide grants, education, administrative enforcement, and other services for the benefit of the State's agricultural industry. Clarifies, creates, and strengthens laws regarding crimes and violations related to agriculture or agricultural lands and hunting on private agricultural lands. Establishes clear distinctions between administrative and criminal penalties. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 21, 2025 Last action Feb 5, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

HB859 HB859_HD1 · 9 edits
MAJOR
This bill transforms from a general agricultural crime prevention proposal into a comprehensive legislative package that establishes new criminal offenses, creates specialized enforcement units, and significantly strengthens penalties for crimes against agricultural lands and livestock. The version adds specific provisions for brand inspection, creates a new specialized unit of brand inspectors, establishes an agricultural crime prevention program with grants, and introduces new criminal trespass and habitual agricultural crime offenses with enhanced penalties.
Scope change
The bill's scope expanded from general agricultural crime prevention to include specific criminal offenses for trespassing on agricultural land, brand inspection enforcement, and enhanced penalties for repeated violations. It now applies more broadly to hunting on private lands, livestock theft, and unauthorized brand use.
ENFORCEMENT

Created a new specialized unit of brand inspectors with powers to seize contraband, issue citations, and conduct investigations to enforce brand registration laws.

Established a new criminal offense of 'habitual agricultural crime' for repeat offenders with enhanced felony penalties and mandatory minimum sentences.

Created a new criminal trespass offense specifically for agricultural land with stricter penalties than general trespass laws.

FISCAL

Established two new special funds: an agricultural crime prevention special fund and a brand inspection special fund to finance enforcement and grant programs.

REQUIREMENT

Added mandatory livestock ownership and movement certificates that must be presented to brand inspectors during animal transport.

Increased penalties for various agricultural violations, including higher fines and mandatory minimum prison terms for repeat offenders.

DEFINITION

Added new definitions for 'brand' and 'mark' to clarify what constitutes livestock identification and ownership proof.

ELIGIBILITY

Created a grant program for agricultural property owners to purchase security equipment like cameras, fencing, and signage to deter crimes.

TIMELINE

Set the effective date to July 1, 3000, which appears to be a placeholder or error that should be corrected to a realistic future date.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
7
Key actions
1
Committee
3
Feb 5, 2025
Committee
Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 156) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
lower
Jan 31, 2025
Lower · Passed
The committee on AGR recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Kahaloa, Kusch, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ward.
lower
Jan 23, 2025
Committee
Referred to AGR, JHA, FIN, referral sheet 3
lower
Jan 23, 2025
Introduced
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
lower
Jan 21, 2025
Introduced
Pending introduction.
lower
15 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors