SB 177 Hawaii Senate · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO AQUACULTURE.

Summary

Authorizes the Division of Animal Industry of the Department of Agriculture to adopt, amend, and repeal rules to develop an assessment and approval process to import and move aquatic livestock in the State. Requires the Aquaculture Program to develop a biological aquatic risk-based framework and biocontainment standards for the aquatic livestock assessment and approval process. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Issues: ✓ Environment

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Governor

Introduced Jan 13, 2025 Last action Apr 25, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB177_HD1 → SB177_SD1 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was reformatted from a House Draft version to a Senate Draft version, with minor text corrections and formatting adjustments. The core policy content regarding aquaculture regulations, definitions, and funding remains substantively unchanged, though some section numbering and formatting were standardized for the Senate process.

Scope change

No substantive change in scope or applicability; the bill continues to regulate aquatic livestock import processes and establish a biological aquatic risk framework.

TECHNICAL

Text formatting and section numbering were adjusted to comply with Senate drafting standards, including correcting section references and standardizing statutory language.

Minor text corrections were made to improve clarity and consistency, such as adjusting punctuation and standardizing the presentation of definitions.

POLICY

The substantive policy provisions regarding aquaculture regulations, risk assessment frameworks, and funding allocations remain identical to the original House Draft version.

SB177 → SB177_HD1 · 7 edits

MODERATE

This bill introduces new rules for importing and moving aquatic livestock in Hawaii, requiring disease testing, inspections, and quarantine measures. It establishes a biological aquatic risk-based framework and biocontainment standards to prevent the spread of invasive species and pathogens. The bill also creates a new aquaculture program within the Department of Agriculture to oversee these activities and includes an appropriation for developing the required framework.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of the Division of Animal Industry's authority to include developing rules for aquatic livestock import and movement, and creates a new aquaculture program with specific responsibilities for monitoring and developing risk-based frameworks.

REQUIREMENT

New Section 141- establishes a rule-making process for importing and moving aquatic livestock that must include pre-arrival disease testing, entry inspection, post-arrival inspection, and quarantine or depopulation as necessary.

Section 141-52 was amended to establish an aquaculture program with six specific duties, including developing a biological aquatic risk-based framework and biocontainment standards.

DEFINITION

Three new definitions were added to Section 141-51: 'Aquatic livestock' (fish, crustaceans, mollusks for commercial purposes), 'Biocontainment' (methods and equipment to prevent release of infectious materials), and 'Biological aquatic risk' (combination of consequences and likelihood of harm from escaped species or pathogens).

ENFORCEMENT

Section 161-6 was modified to clarify that the Division of Animal Industry administers the chapter under the board's supervision, with specific exceptions for rule-making authority.

ADDED

Section 5 was added to require the division to develop a biological aquatic risk-based framework considering USDA standards, current policies, industry best practices, and protection of indigenous species.

FISCAL

Section 6 was modified to appropriate funds for developing the biological aquatic risk-based framework, though the specific dollar amount was left blank in the final version.

TIMELINE

Section 8 was modified to set the effective date as July 1, 3000, which appears to be a placeholder or error that will likely be corrected.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 25, 2025

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday, 04-25-25 2:40 PM; Conference Room 411.

lower

Apr 25, 2025

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday, 04-25-25 at 10:50AM in Conference Room 325.

lower

Apr 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-25-25 9:40AM; Conference Room 325.

upper

Apr 23, 2025

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-24-25 9:30AM; Conference Room 325.

upper

Apr 22, 2025

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-23-25 9:31AM; Conference Room 325.

upper

Apr 17, 2025

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-22-25 9:30AM; Conference Room 325.

upper

Apr 8, 2025

Amended

Senate disagrees with House amendments.

upper

Apr 8, 2025

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 572).

upper

Apr 4, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Kapela excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Apr 1, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 14 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Alcos.

lower

Mar 20, 2025

Committee

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Ward excused (2).

lower

Mar 20, 2025

Committee

Reported from CPC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1381), recommending referral to FIN.

lower

Mar 18, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Chun, Ilagan, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Kong, Lowen, Marten; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Tam, Pierick.

lower

Mar 14, 2025

Committee

Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1221) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC.

lower

Mar 12, 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; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ward.

lower

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to AGR, CPC, FIN, referral sheet 19

lower

Mar 4, 2025

Introduced

Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 106) in amended form (SD 1).

lower

Mar 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Feb 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Feb 21, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-27-25 10:30AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 5, 2025

Committee

Reported from AEN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 49) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Jan 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on AEN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in AEN were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Gabbard, Richards, Rhoads, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) DeCoite.

upper

Jan 21, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on AEN has scheduled a public hearing on 01-24-25 1:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 17, 2025

Committee

Referred to AEN, WAM.

upper

Jan 15, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and passed First Reading.

upper

Jan 13, 2025

Introduced

Pending Introduction.

upper

8 primary · 2 co-sponsors