SB2350 • 2026

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Agriculture

Active

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

Sponsor: WAKAI, CHANG, FEVELLA, HASHIMOTO, KIDANI, LAMOSAO
Last action: 2026-03-18
Official status: The committee(s) on AGR recommend(s) that the measure be deferred.
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; ADC; Aquaculture and Livestock Support Services Branch; Agricultural Enterprises; Transfer Transfers the rights, powers, functions, and duties of the Aquaculture and Livestock Support Services Branch of the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity that relate to agricultural enterprises to the Agribusiness Development Corporation.
Requires that the regulatory functions of the Aquaculture and Livestock Support Services Branch remain within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity.
Effective 7/1/2050.

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.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: SB2350 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2350 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2350 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE .

SD2

Hawaii published version SD2

Plain English: SB2350 SD2 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2350 SD2 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2350 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
2 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE .

Bill History

2026-03-18 H
The committee(s) on AGR recommend(s) that the measure be deferred.
2026-03-12 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by AGR on Wednesday, 03-18-26 9:30AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-12 H
Referred to AGR, ECD, FIN, referral sheet 17
2026-03-12 H
Pass First Reading
2026-03-10 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 215) in amended form (SD 2).
2026-03-10 S
Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2026-03-05 S
48 Hrs. Notice 03-10-26.
2026-03-05 S
Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2850) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2).
2026-03-02 S
The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Richards, Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-02-27 S
The committee on WAM has rescheduled its decision making to 03-02-26 10:02AM; CR 211 & Videoconference.
2026-02-23 S
The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 03-02-26 10:31AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2026-02-20 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2026-02-20 S
Reported from AEN/EDT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2479) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
2026-02-06 S
The committee(s) on EDT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDT were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) DeCoite, Wakai, Kim, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fukunaga.
2026-02-06 S
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, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Rhoads ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-02-03 S
The committee(s) on AEN/EDT has scheduled a public hearing on 02-06-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.
2026-01-26 S
Referred to AEN/EDT, WAM.
2026-01-21 S
Introduced and passed First Reading.
2026-01-15 S
Pending Introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.
DAB; ADC; Aquaculture and Livestock Support Services Branch; Agricultural Enterprises; Transfer
Transfers the rights, powers, functions, and duties of the Aquaculture and Livestock Support Services Branch of the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity that relate to agricultural enterprises to the Agribusiness Development Corporation. Requires that the regulatory functions of the Aquaculture and Livestock Support Services Branch remain within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2350

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2350

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.
�
All rights,
powers, functions, and duties of the aquaculture and livestock support services
branch of the department of agriculture and biosecurity are transferred to the
agribusiness development corporation.

����
All officers and employees whose functions
are transferred by this Act shall be transferred with their functions and shall
continue to perform their regular duties upon their transfer, subject to the
state personnel laws and this Act.

����
No officer or employee of the State having
tenure shall suffer any loss of salary, seniority, prior service credit,
vacation, sick leave, or other employee benefit or privilege as a consequence
of this Act, and such officer or employee may be transferred or appointed to a
civil service position without the necessity of examination; provided that the
officer or employee possesses the minimum qualifications for the position to
which transferred or appointed; and provided that subsequent changes in status may
be made pursuant to applicable civil service and compensation laws.

����
An officer or employee of the State who
does not have tenure and who may be transferred or appointed to a civil service
position as a consequence of this Act shall become a civil service employee
without the loss of salary, seniority, prior service credit, vacation, sick
leave, or other employee benefits or privileges and without the necessity of
examination; provided that such officer or employee possesses the minimum
qualifications for the position to which transferred or appointed.

����
If an office or position held by an officer
or employee having tenure is abolished, the officer or employee shall not
thereby be separated from public employment, but shall remain in the employment
of the State with the same pay and classification and shall be transferred to
some other office or position for which the officer or employee is eligible
under the personnel laws of the State as determined by the head of the
department or the governor.

����
SECTION 2.
�

All rights, powers, functions, and duties of the agricultural
development division of the department of agriculture and biosecurity are
transferred to the agribusiness development corporation.

����
All officers and employees whose functions
are transferred by this Act shall be transferred with their functions and shall
continue to perform their regular duties upon their transfer, subject to the
state personnel laws and this Act.

����
No officer or employee of the State having
tenure shall suffer any loss of salary, seniority, prior service credit,
vacation, sick leave, or other employee benefit or privilege as a consequence
of this Act, and such officer or employee may be transferred or appointed to a
civil service position without the necessity of examination; provided that the
officer or employee possesses the minimum qualifications for the position to
which transferred or appointed; and provided that subsequent changes in status may
be made pursuant to applicable civil service and compensation laws.

����
An officer or employee of the State who
does not have tenure and who may be transferred or appointed to a civil service
position as a consequence of this Act shall become a civil service employee
without the loss of salary, seniority, prior service credit, vacation, sick
leave, or other employee benefits or privileges and without the necessity of
examination; provided that such officer or employee possesses the minimum
qualifications for the position to which transferred or appointed.

����
If an office or position held by an officer
or employee having tenure is abolished, the officer or employee shall not
thereby be separated from public employment, but shall remain in the employment
of the State with the same pay and classification and shall be transferred to
some other office or position for which the officer or employee is eligible
under the personnel laws of the State as determined by the head of the
department or the governor.

����
SECTION 3.
�

All appropriations, records, equipment, machines, files, supplies,
contracts, books, papers, documents, maps, and other personal property
heretofore made, used, acquired, or held by the department of agriculture and
biosecurity relating to the functions transferred to the agribusiness
development corporation shall be transferred with the functions to which they
relate.

����
SECTION 4.
�

All rules, policies, procedures, guidelines, and other material adopted
or developed by the department of agriculture and biosecurity to implement
provisions of the Hawaii Revised Statutes that are reenacted or made applicable
to the agribusiness development corporation by this Act shall remain in full
force and effect until amended or repealed by the agribusiness development
corporation pursuant to chapter 91, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

����
In
the interim, every reference to the department of agriculture and biosecurity
in those rules, policies, procedures, guidelines, and other material is amended
to refer to the agribusiness development corporation, as appropriate.

����
SECTION 5.
�

All deeds, leases, contracts, loans, agreements, permits, or other
documents executed or entered into by or on behalf of the department of
agriculture and biosecurity, pursuant to the provisions of the Hawaii Revised
Statutes, that are reenacted or made applicable to the agribusiness development
corporation by this Act shall remain in full force and effect.
�
Upon the effective date of this Act, every
reference to the department of agriculture and biosecurity or the chairperson
of the board agriculture and biosecurity therein shall be construed as a
reference to the agribusiness development corporation or the executive director
of the agribusiness development corporation, as appropriate.

����
SECTION 6.
�

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

DAB; ADC;

Aquaculture and Livestock Support Services Branch; Agricultural
Development Division; Transfer

Description:

Transfers
oversight of the
Aquaculture and Livestock Support Services Branch of
the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to the Agribusiness Development
Corporation.
�
Transfers the Agricultural
Development Division of DAB to the ADC.

The summary description
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not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.