HB 782 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Summary
Establishes within the Department of Agriculture a working group to review and make recommendations on amending or repealing unnecessary or obsolete laws pertaining to agriculture. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
House Passage
Feb 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
Governor
Introduced Jan 17, 2025 Last action Apr 2, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB782_HD1 HB782_SD1 · 4 edits
MODERATE
The bill was revised to shift from a House Draft to a Senate Draft, updating metadata and authorship details. The core policy change involves expanding the composition of the new agricultural working group to include state agency chairpersons and directors rather than just mayoral representatives, while also adding new topics for review such as farm labor access and water permitting. The effective date was adjusted from the distant future of 2030 to 2050, and the report requirement was clarified.
Scope change
The scope of the working group's membership was significantly altered to include state-level officials, and the scope of its review mandate was expanded to include workforce development, labor access, and water regulations.
REQUIREMENT

The membership of the agricultural working group was changed from mayoral representatives to include the chairpersons of the Land Use Commission, Commission on Water Resource Management, and Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, along with directors of the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development and Office of the Mayor.

The working group's review mandate was expanded to include regulations on agricultural workforce development, farm labor access, water access and permitting, and procurement policies for locally grown food.

The summary description of the Act was updated to clarify that the working group is required to submit a report to the Legislature.

TIMELINE

The effective date of the Act was changed from July 1, 2030, to July 1, 2050.

Floor votes

How they voted

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

Actions timeline

Total actions
38
Key actions
11
Committee
12
Amendments
2
Apr 24, 2025
Upper · Passed
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-25-25 9:30AM; Conference Room 325.
upper
Apr 22, 2025
Upper · Passed
Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-24-25 9:31AM; Conference Room 325.
upper
Apr 10, 2025
Amended
House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).
lower
Apr 8, 2025
Introduced
Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 676) in amended form (SD 1).
lower
Apr 8, 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
Apr 2, 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
Mar 27, 2025
Upper · Passed
The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 04-02-25 10:01AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
upper
Mar 19, 2025
Upper · Passed
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
upper
Mar 19, 2025
Committee
Reported from AEN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1167) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
upper
Mar 17, 2025
Upper · Passed
The committee(s) on AEN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in AEN were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Gabbard, Richards, DeCoite, Rhoads, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
upper
Mar 11, 2025
Upper · Passed
The committee(s) on AEN has scheduled a public hearing on 03-14-25 1:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.
upper
Mar 4, 2025
Committee
Referred to AEN, WAM.
upper
Feb 28, 2025
Introduced
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 38).
upper
Feb 27, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Pierick, Templo, Ward excused (4). Transmitted to Senate.
lower
Feb 20, 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 2 Excused: Representative(s) Alcos, Ward.
lower
Feb 11, 2025
Committee
Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 399) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
lower
Feb 7, 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 21, 2025
Committee
Referred to AGR, FIN, referral sheet 2
lower
Jan 21, 2025
Introduced
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
lower
Jan 17, 2025
Introduced
Pending introduction.
lower
10 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors