HB1184 • 2026

RELATING TO CONTROLLED-ENVIRONMENT AGRICULTURE.

Agriculture Budget Taxes

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: KUSCH, AMATO, GARRETT, GRANDINETTI, HOLT, KAHALOA, KEOHOKAPU-LEE LOY, KILA, KITAGAWA, LOWEN, MARTEN, MATAYOSHI, PERRUSO, SOUZA, TARNAS, TODD
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary and text do not provide specific details about when the bill will be signed into law or how much funding is allocated.

Hawaii Bill to Build a Controlled-Environment Agriculture Facility

This bill allows Hawaii to issue bonds and use the money to build a research facility for controlled-environment agriculture at the University of Hawaii in Manoa, Oahu.

What This Bill Does

Allows the state to borrow money by issuing general obligation bonds.
Gives funds to the University of Hawaii for building a new research and demonstration facility focused on controlled-environment agriculture.
Sets up the Magoon site as the location for this new facility.

Who It Names or Affects

The University of Hawaii at Manoa
People who work in or study controlled-environment agriculture

Terms To Know

General Obligation Bonds: Money borrowed by the state that is paid back using tax money.
Controlled-Environment Agriculture: Growing plants in a special building where conditions like light, temperature, and humidity are controlled.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify the amount of money to be borrowed or used.
It is unclear when the facility will actually start being built after the bill becomes law.
The bill has not yet been signed into law as of now.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds and appropriates funds to build a controlled-environment agriculture research and demonstration facility at the University of Hawaii's Magoon site in Manoa, Oahu.

Authorizes the director of finance to issue general obligation bonds for the development of a controlled-environment agriculture research and demonstration facility.
Appropriates funds for fiscal year 2025-2026 for the construction of this facility at the Magoon site in Manoa, Oahu.

The exact amount of bonds to be issued is not specified in the amendment text.
The specific details on how the funds will be used are not provided beyond stating they will be for the development of a research and demonstration facility.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-02-06 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on HED with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Ward excused (1).
2025-02-06 H
Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 192) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to HED.
2025-02-05 H
The committee on AGR recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Kahaloa, Kusch, Lowen, Perruso; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Quinlan, Ward.
2025-01-31 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by AGR on Wednesday, 02-05-25 9:30AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-28 H
Re-referred to AGR, HED, FIN, referral sheet 7
2025-01-27 H
Referred to HED, FIN, referral sheet 4
2025-01-23 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-22 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO CONTROLLED-ENVIRONMENT AGRICULTURE.
University of Hawaii; College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience; Controlled-environment Agriculture; General Obligation Bonds; Appropriation ($)
Authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds and appropriates funds for the development of a controlled-environment agriculture research and demonstration facility at the Magoon research and teaching site in Manoa, Oahu. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1184

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1184

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to CONTROLLED-ENVIRONMENT AGRICULTURE
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that there is a
need for a comprehensive approach to controlled‑environment agriculture,
which can be accomplished through the construction of a state‑of‑the‑art
controlled‑environment agriculture research and demonstration facility.
�
This type of facility can be established at a
commercial scale with research and teaching capabilities at the university of
Hawaii at Manoa college of tropical agriculture and human resources' Magoon
research and teaching site in Manoa, Oahu.
�

Upon completion, the facility and associated activities can serve as a
platform for research, extension, education, and demonstration activities at
commercial scale to develop the next generation of researchers, industry
leaders, and practitioners.

����
The purpose of
this Act is to authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds and
appropriate funds for the development of a controlled-environment agriculture
research and demonstration facility.

����
SECTION
2.
�
The director of finance is authorized
to issue general obligation bonds in the sum of
$ or so much
thereof as may be necessary and the same sum or so much thereof as may be
necessary is appropriated for fiscal year 2025-2026 for
the
development of a controlled-environment agriculture research and demonstration
facility
at the university of Hawaii at Manoa college of tropical
agriculture and human resources' Magoon research and teaching site in Manoa,
Oahu.

����
The sum
appropriated shall be expended by the university of Hawaii for the purposes of
this Act.

����
SECTION
3.
�
The appropriation made for the
capital improvement project authorized by this Act shall not lapse at the end
of the fiscal year for which the appropriation is made; provided that all
moneys from the appropriation unencumbered as of June 30, 2028, shall lapse as
of that date.

����
SECTION 4.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

University
of Hawaii; College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources; Controlled-environment
Agriculture; General Obligation Bonds; Appropriation

Description:

Authorizes
the issuance of general obligation bonds and appropriates funds for the
development of a controlled‑environment agriculture research and demonstration
facility at the Magoon
research and teaching site in Manoa, Oahu
.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.