HB968 • 2026

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Agriculture Budget Education Energy Land Taxes

Active

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

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

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not specify the exact details of how funding will be allocated beyond fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027.

Healthy Soil Program for Agriculture

This bill requires the Department of Agriculture to establish a Healthy Soils Program, which includes an annual report to the Legislature and funding for implementation.

What This Bill Does

Creates a Healthy Soils Program within the Department of Agriculture.
Requires the program to assess soil health across the state and provide education on improving it.
Establishes standards based on greenhouse gas sequestration findings.
Issues awards and financial incentives to farmers who implement healthy soil practices, subject to available funding.
Requires an annual report detailing the progress of the Healthy Soils Program.

Who It Names or Affects

The Department of Agriculture
Farmers and landowners in Hawaii

Terms To Know

Carbon Sequestration: The process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide to reduce greenhouse gases.
Greenhouse Gas Sequestration Task Force: A group established by the state to study and recommend ways to capture greenhouse gases, including through soil health practices.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how much funding will be available beyond fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027.
It is unclear what specific actions small farmers, ranchers, and landowners must take to receive incentives.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment requires the Department of Agriculture to establish a Healthy Soils Program, which includes creating soil health assessments, providing education and assistance to farmers, setting standards based on greenhouse gas findings, issuing awards for healthy practices, and submitting annual reports.

Establishes a new Healthy Soils Program within the Department of Agriculture.
Requires the program to create a statewide soil health assessment with specific practices to improve soil health.
Provides education and technical assistance to farmers on implementing farm management practices that contribute to healthy soils.
Issues awards and financial incentives for farmers who implement practices that contribute to healthy soils.

The exact amount of funding appropriated is not specified in the amendment text.
The effective date of July 1, 3000, seems incorrect or possibly a placeholder and needs clarification.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-02-11 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Muraoka, Pierick voting no (2) and Representative(s) Cochran, Ward excused (2).
2025-02-11 H
Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 389) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2025-02-07 H
The committee on AGR recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Kahaloa, Kusch, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ward.
2025-02-05 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by AGR on Friday, 02-07-25 9:30AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-23 H
Referred to AGR, FIN, referral sheet 3
2025-01-23 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-21 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.
DOA; Healthy Soils Program; Carbon Sequestration; Reports; Appropriation ($)
Requires the Department of Agriculture to establish a Healthy Soils Program. Requires an annual report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB968

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

968

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
Chapter 141,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part I to be
appropriately designated and to read as follows:

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"
�
141-
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Healthy soils program; established.
�
(a)
�

The department of agriculture shall establish a healthy soils
program.
�
The department of agriculture
may consult with or contract a third party for any needed expertise to perform
its duties pursuant to this section.
�
The
healthy soils program shall:

����
(1)
�
Create a statewide soil health
assessment with a list of practices specific to the State that are most
effective in improving soil health and building soil carbon stocks;

����
(2)
�
Provide farmers with education and
technical assistance to implement farm management practices that contribute to
healthy soils;

����
(3)
�
Establish standards that apply to
the healthy soils program and are based on the findings of the greenhouse gas
sequestration task force established pursuant to section 225P-4 relating to
minimum levels of soil carbon and water content and required soil health
practices; and

����
(4)
�
Subject to available funding, issue
awards and other financial incentives to implement farm management practices
that contribute to healthy soils.

����
(b)
�
The long-term goals of the healthy soils
program shall be to establish:

����
(1)
�
Deadlines by which all awards issued
by the department of agriculture shall meet the standards established pursuant
to subsection (a)(3);

����
(2)
�
Deadlines by which a plan for all
state lands leased for agricultural use shall be required; and

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(3)
�
Programs incentivizing small
farmers, ranchers, and landowners to take carbon negative actions on their
respective lands.

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(c)
�
The department of agriculture shall submit a
report detailing the status and progress of the healthy soils program and its
recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no
later than twenty days
prior to the convening of each
regular session.
"

����
SECTION 2.
�

There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii
the sum of $500,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year
2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal
year 2026-2027 for the establishment of the healthy soils program and to issue
awards and other financial incentives pursuant to the program.

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The sums

appropriated shall be expended by the department of agriculture
for the purposes of this Act.

����
SECTION 3.
�

New statutory material is underscored.

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SECTION 4.
�

This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

DOA;
Healthy Soils Program; Carbon Sequestration; Reports; Appropriation
s

Description:

Requires
the Department of Agriculture to establish a Healthy Soils Program.
�
Requires an annual 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.