HB2594 • 2026

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Agriculture Budget

Active

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

Sponsor: KUSCH, AMATO, KAHALOA, KEOHOKAPU-LEE LOY, KILA, LOWEN, MARTEN, MIYAKE, MORIKAWA, OLDS, PERRUSO, POEPOE, TARNAS
Last action: 2026-03-24
Official status: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.
DAB; Insurance; Small Agricultural Producers; Study; Report; Appropriation ($) Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to conduct a study on insurance coverage for small agricultural producers.
Requires a report to the Legislature.
Appropriates funds.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: HB2594 HD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB2594 HD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
2594 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE .

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: HB2594 SD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB2594 SD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
2594 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII S.D.

Bill History

2026-03-24 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2026-03-24 S
Reported from AEN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3155) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
2026-03-16 S
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.
2026-03-13 S
The committee(s) on AEN has scheduled a public hearing on 03-16-26 3:05PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.
2026-03-10 S
Referred to AEN, WAM.
2026-03-10 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-03-10 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 224).
2026-03-06 H
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Perruso, Sayama excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-03-06 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 927-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-03-03 H
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; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-02-27 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Tuesday, 03-03-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-17 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lee, M., Poepoe excused (3).
2026-02-17 H
Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 326-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2026-02-11 H
The committee on AGR recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Chun, Kusch, Kahaloa, Perruso, Matsumoto; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Lowen, Quinlan.
2026-02-06 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by AGR on Wednesday, 02-11-26 9:30AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-02 H
Referred to AGR, FIN, referral sheet 6
2026-01-28 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.
DAB; Insurance; Small Agricultural Producers; Study; Report; Appropriation ($)
Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to conduct a study on insurance coverage for small agricultural producers. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB2594

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2594

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to agriculture
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
(a)
�
The department of agriculture and biosecurity
shall conduct a study on insurance coverage for small agricultural producers to
support a robust agricultural sector in the State.

����
(b)
�

As part of the study, the department of agriculture and biosecurity
shall:

����
(1)
�
Evaluate
the feasibility of a state-supported group insurance program or purchasing pool
for small agricultural producers;

����
(2)
�
Develop
criteria that would define a "small agricultural producer";

����
(3)
�
Evaluate
existing private sector insurance programs and products dedicated to small
agricultural producers;

����
(4)
�
Explore
public-private partnerships with insurers to offer farm-specific coverage
products;

����
(5)
�
Identify
statutory or regulatory barriers that limit insurance availability for farms;

����
(6)
�
Assess
the role of existing agencies in providing technical assistance or centralized
intake for farm business risks and insurance inquiries; and

����
(7)
�
Partner
with relevant state and county agencies to convene stakeholders, provide
technical input from the agricultural perspective, and coordinate with farmers
and insurers.

����
(c)
�

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.

����
SECTION 2.
�

There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii
the sum of $ or so
much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for a study on
insurance coverage for small agricultural producers.

����
The sum appropriated shall be expended by
the department of agriculture and biosecurity for the purposes of this Act.

����
SECTION 3.
�

This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

DAB;
Insurance; Small Agricultural Producers; Study; Report; Appropriation

Description:

Directs
the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to conduct a study on
insurance
coverage for small agricultural producers.
�

Requires a report to the Legislature.
�

Appropriates funds.

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