RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL WORKFORCE HOUSING.

HB2495

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2495

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to agricultural workforce housing
.

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

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SECTION
1.
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The legislature finds that
agricultural workforce housing is essential to developing and sustaining the
workforce needed to move Hawaii's agricultural sector forward.
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Agriculture across the State, particularly on
the neighbor islands, faces persistent labor shortages driven in part by
limited and high-cost housing options that make it difficult to recruit and
retain workers.
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Without reliable and
proximate housing, farms struggle to maintain stable operations, expand
production, or meet institutional and local food demand.

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The
legislature further finds that agricultural workforce housing produces broad
public benefits that extend far beyond individual employers.
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These benefits include improved food
security, greater production reliability, strengthened rural and neighbor
island economies, enhanced worker safety, and more resilient communities.
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Because these benefits accrue statewide and
support the State's long-term goals for food production and economic
diversification, it is appropriate to recognize agricultural workforce housing
as a public good worthy of incentive, rather than impose new regulatory
mandates on farmers.

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The
legislature also finds that Hawaii's agricultural workforce is experiencing
significant decline and demographic pressure.
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According to the United States Department of
Agriculture's 2022 Census of Agriculture, the total number of farms in Hawaii
has decreased by approximately ten per cent over the most recent reporting
period, and nearly half of the State's agricultural producers are sixty-five
years of age or older.
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These trends
underscore the urgent need for policies that attract, retain, and stabilize the
next generation of agricultural workers.
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Workforce housing remains one of the most
critical barriers to building a reliable agricultural labor force, especially
on the neighbor islands where housing scarcity and high costs pose substantial
challenges.

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The
purpose of this Act is to support Hawaii's agricultural workforce by
incorporating agricultural workforce housing as a scored public benefit within
existing state evaluation and decision-making processes.

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SECTION
2.
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(a)
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Any state agency administering agricultural leases, licenses,
development programs, or procurement involving agricultural products, including
but not limited to the department of agriculture and biosecurity and the
agribusiness development corporation, shall award additional points or preferences
to agricultural projects that voluntarily provide:

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(1)
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On-site or proximate workforce housing for
agricultural workers; or

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(2)
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Formal partnerships that secure housing for a
portion of the agricultural workforce associated with the project.

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(b)
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To qualify for additional points or
preferences under subsection (a), an agricultural project shall demonstrate
plans to provide housing for at least twenty per cent of the agricultural
workforce associated with the project; provided that state agencies under
subsection (a) may authorize:

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(1)
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Phased implementation over time;

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(2)
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Scaled requirements based on farm size,
project type, or labor needs; and

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(3)
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Region-specific flexibility to account for
neighbor island conditions, available housing stock, and infrastructure
capacity.

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(c)
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State agencies may update existing scoring
rubrics, guidelines, or program rules to implement this section without the
need for additional statutory authority.

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(d)
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Nothing in this Act shall be construed to:

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(1)
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Create a mandate that agricultural operators
provide workforce housing;

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(2)
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Penalize applicants that do not provide
workforce housing; or

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(3)
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Supersede or alter existing health, safety, or
land-use requirements applicable to housing development.

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(e)
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For the purposes of this section:

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"Agricultural
project" means any agricultural, aquacultural, or agroforestry project
applying for or participating in a:

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(1)
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State agricultural land lease or license;

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(2)
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State-supported agricultural development
program; or

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(3)
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State procurement, grant, or institutional
purchasing contract that includes agricultural production.

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"Agricultural
workforce housing" means on-site, proximate, or partnered housing
arrangements intended to accommodate agricultural workers employed by,
contracted with, or directly supporting an agricultural project.

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"State
agency" means all executive departments, boards, and commissions of the
State and all public corporations created by the legislature.
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"State agency" does not include any
contractor with the State.

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SECTION
3.
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The department of agriculture and
biosecurity shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations,
including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty
days prior to the convening of the regular session of
2027.
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The report
shall include:

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(1)
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Implementation of the incentive scoring
provisions in this Act;

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(2)
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The number of applicants that received
additional points or preference;

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(3)
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Challenges encountered; and

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(4)
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Recommendations for improving or expanding the
incentive framework.

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SECTION 4.
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This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

State
Agencies; DAB; Agribusiness Development Corporation; Agricultural Workforce
Housing Incentives; Agricultural Leases; State Procurement; Preferences

Description:

Requires
state agencies, including the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity and
Agribusiness Development Corporation, that
administer agricultural
leases, licenses, development programs, or procurement involving agricultural
products to award points or preferences to agricultural projects
incorporating agricultural workforce
housing.
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Requires a report to the
Legislature.

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