SB 498 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL WORKFORCE HOUSING.

Summary

Establishes an Agricultural Workforce Housing Working Group within the Department of Agriculture to address the shortage and challenges of agricultural workforce housing in the State. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. (SD1)

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Feb 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 17, 2025 Last action Dec 8, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

SB498 → SB498_SD1 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to update its versioning and metadata from the original introduction to the first Senate amendment (SD1). Substantively, Section 1 was modified to clarify that the new working group is established 'for administrative purposes,' and a minor formatting correction changed a section reference from 'section I' to 'section 1.' The bill's core policy of creating a group to address agricultural housing shortages and the associated funding remain unchanged.

Scope change

No change in scope or applicability; the bill continues to apply to the Department of Agriculture statewide.

TECHNICAL

Added 'SD1' to the bill title and updated metadata fields (e.g., template type, revision number, and dates) to reflect the first Senate amendment.

Corrected a typo in the funding section, changing the reference from 'section I' to 'section 1.'

DEFINITION

Modified Section 1 to specify that the agricultural workforce housing working group is established 'for administrative purposes.'

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

Feb 5, 2025

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 5, 2025

Committee

Reported from AEN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 45) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Jan 29, 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

Jan 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on AEN has scheduled a public hearing on 01-29-25 1:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to AEN, WAM.

upper

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Introduced.

upper

6 primary · 1 co-sponsor