SB 2320 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Summary

Establishes the Kuleana AgTech Pathways Program to create career pipelines in the fields of agriculture and agricultural technology. Requires the University of Hawaii to collaborate with the Department of Education, Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, Agribusiness Development Corporation, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, and appropriate community organizations to develop and administer the program. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

May 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

House Passage

Apr 2026

Governor

Introduced Jan 15, 2026 Last action May 1, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB2320_HD1 → SB2320_SD1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was revised to shift focus from a specific 'culturally grounded' workforce to a broader need for skilled professionals, while explicitly highlighting Hawaii's heavy reliance on food imports as a driver for the new program. The effective date was changed from the distant year 3000 to 2050, making the legislation immediately actionable. Administrative requirements were simplified by removing the specific list of partner agencies from the program description and deleting a requirement for the program to expand into high schools, streamlining the scope to focus on career pipelines at the community college level.

Scope change

The bill's scope was narrowed by removing the mandate to expand the program into public high schools and simplifying the list of required administrative partners, while the urgency was increased by setting a realistic effective date of 2050.

REQUIREMENT

The legislative findings were updated to explicitly state that Hawaii imports over 80% of its food, framing the workforce shortage as a critical issue exacerbated by this reliance.

The requirement for the program to expand agricultural science into public high schools was removed, limiting the focus to community college levels.

The specific list of partner agencies (including the Department of Education and Agribusiness Development Corporation) was removed from the program description, replacing it with a general reference to 'appropriate community organizations'.

The requirement for the program to submit findings on 'career pipelines in the fields of agriculture and agricultural technology' was simplified to just 'career pipelines' in those fields.

TIMELINE

The effective date of the Act was changed from July 1, 3000, to July 1, 2050, making the program operational within a realistic timeframe.

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

May 1, 2026

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday, 05-01-26 at 5:20PM in Conference Room 229.

lower

Apr 30, 2026

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 05-01-26 3:30PM in conference room 229.

lower

Apr 28, 2026

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Thursday 04-30-26 3:15PM in conference room 229.

lower

Apr 27, 2026

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-28-26 3:30PM; Conference Room 229.

upper

Apr 23, 2026

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-24-26 2:50PM; Conference Room 229.

upper

Apr 16, 2026

Amended

Senate disagrees with House amendments.

upper

Apr 16, 2026

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 644).

upper

Apr 14, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Apr 8, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 16 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Mar 30, 2026

Lower · Passed

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan excused (4).

lower

Mar 30, 2026

Committee

Reported from HED (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1498-26), recommending referral to FIN.

lower

Mar 25, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on HED recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Garrett, Amato, Kapela, Kila, La Chica, Olds, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 3 Excused: Representative(s) Evslin, Woodson, Muraoka.

lower

Mar 20, 2026

Committee

Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1248-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to HED.

lower

Mar 18, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on AGR recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Chun, Kusch, Kahaloa, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan, Matsumoto; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Mar 10, 2026

Committee

Referred to AGR, HED, FIN, referral sheet 16

lower

Mar 6, 2026

Introduced

Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 48) in amended form (SD 1).

lower

Mar 6, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Ihara). Transmitted to House.

upper

Mar 3, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 12 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Richards, Wakai; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.

upper

Feb 23, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-25-26 10:57AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.

upper

Feb 20, 2026

Committee

Reported from EDU/AEN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2587) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Feb 18, 2026

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, DeCoite, Rhoads; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Awa.

upper

Feb 18, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDU were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kim, Hashimoto, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Kidani, Fukunaga.

upper

Feb 12, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDU/AEN has scheduled a public hearing on 02-18-26 4:15PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 26, 2026

Committee

Referred to EDU/AEN, WAM.

upper

Jan 21, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and passed First Reading.

upper

Jan 15, 2026

Introduced

Pending Introduction.

upper

7 primary · 0 co-sponsors