SB2405 • 2026

RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL WORKFORCE HOUSING.

Agriculture Budget Housing

Active

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

Sponsor: RICHARDS, CHANG, GABBARD, KANUHA, KIDANI, SAN BUENAVENTURA, Hashimoto, Wakai
Last action: 2026-05-01
Official status: Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 05-01-26 5:00 PM; Conference Room 411.
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 AGRICULTURAL WORKFORCE HOUSING.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL WORKFORCE HOUSING.
DAB; Agricultural Workforce Housing Working Group; Report; Appropriation ($) Establishes an Agricultural Workforce Housing Working Group within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to address the shortage and challenges of agricultural workforce housing in the State.
Requires reports 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: SB2405 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2405 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2405 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

HD2

Hawaii published version HD2

Plain English: SB2405 HD2 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2405 HD2 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2405 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: SB2405 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2405 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2405 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL WORKFORCE HOUSING .

Bill History

2026-05-01 S
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 05-01-26 5:00 PM; Conference Room 411.
2026-05-01 S
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 05-01-26 12:45 PM; Conference Room 325.
2026-04-30 S
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 05-01-26 9:15AM; Conference Room 325.
2026-04-29 S
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-30-26 9:30AM; Conference Room 325.
2026-04-28 S
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-29-26 9:30AM; Conference Room 325.
2026-04-27 S
Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-28-26 9:35AM; Conference Room 325.
2026-04-27 H
Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 762).
2026-04-24 S
Senate Conferees Appointed: Gabbard Chair; Hashimoto Co-Chair; Richards.
2026-04-23 S
Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 811).
2026-04-22 H
House Conferees Appointed: Chun, Miyake, Ichiyama, Kusch Co-Chairs; Matsumoto.
2026-04-22 H
Re-referred to AGR, HSG, WAL, FIN, referral sheet 32
2026-04-10 H
Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 564).
2026-04-10 S
Senate disagrees with House amendments.
2026-04-10 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 509).
2026-04-09 H
Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Garcia voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-04-09 H
Reported from WAL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1990-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-04-07 H
The committee on WAL recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Hashem, Morikawa, Belatti, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Poepoe, Souza; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Shimizu; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Woodson.
2026-04-02 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by WAL on Tuesday, 04-07-26 10:00AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-30 H
Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on WAL as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Garcia voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan excused (4).
2026-03-30 H
Reported from HSG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1514-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to WAL.
2026-03-25 H
The committee on HSG recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Evslin, Miyake, Grandinetti, Kila, Kitagawa, La Chica, Muraoka; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Cochran; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Pierick; and Excused: none.
2026-03-20 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by HSG on Wednesday, 03-25-26 10:00AM in House conference room 430 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-20 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on HSG with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1).
2026-03-20 H
Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1253-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to HSG.
2026-03-18 H
The committee on AGR recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Chun, Kusch, Kahaloa, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan, Matsumoto; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
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, HSG, WAL, referral sheet 17
2026-03-12 H
Pass First Reading
2026-03-10 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 232) in amended form (SD 1).
2026-03-10 S
Report adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2026-03-06 S
One Day Notice 03-10-26.
2026-03-06 S
Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2902) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
2026-03-03 S
The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 12 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Richards, Wakai; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.
2026-02-27 S
The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 03-03-26 10:17AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2026-02-11 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2026-02-11 S
Reported from AEN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2186) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
2026-02-04 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, Rhoads, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-01-30 S
The committee(s) on AEN has scheduled a public hearing on 02-04-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.
2026-01-28 S
Referred to AEN, WAM.
2026-01-21 S
Introduced and passed First Reading.
2026-01-20 S
Pending Introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL WORKFORCE HOUSING.
DAB; Agricultural Workforce Housing Working Group; Report; Appropriation ($)
Establishes an Agricultural Workforce Housing Working Group within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to address the shortage and challenges of agricultural workforce housing in the State. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2405

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2405

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:

����
SECTION 1.
�
(a)
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There is established within the department of
agriculture and biosecurity for administrative purposes an agricultural
workforce housing working group to address the shortage and challenges of
agricultural workforce housing in the State.

����
(b)
�

The working group shall comprise the following members or their
designees:

����
(1)
�
The
chairperson of the board of agriculture and biosecurity, who shall serve as
co-chair of the working group;

����
(2)
�
The
chairperson of the agribusiness development corporation, who shall serve as
co-chair of the working group;

����
(3)
�
The
executive director of the Hawaii housing finance and development corporation;

����
(4)
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The
chairperson of the land use commission; and

����
(5)
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The
director of the office of planning and sustainable development.

����
(c)
�

The co-chairs of the working group shall invite one representative from
each of the following organizations to participate as a member of the working
group:

����
(1)
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Hawaii
Agricultural Foundation;

����
(2)
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Hawaii
Agriculture Research Center;

����
(3)
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Hawaii
Farm Bureau; and

����
(4)
�
Hawaii
Farmers Union United.

����
(d)
�

The co-chairs of the working group may invite other individuals with
relevant knowledge and expertise to serve as working group members.

����
(e)
�

No member shall be made subject to chapter 84, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
solely because of that member's participation as a member of the working group.

����
(f)
�

The department of agriculture and biosecurity is requested to provide
administrative support to the working group.

����
(g)
�

The working group shall:

����
(1)
�
Determine:

���������
(A)
�
The
specific housing needs of each agricultural workforce within each county; and

���������
(B)
�
Existing
government resources available for adaptive reuse into agricultural workforce
housing;

����
(2)
�
Assess
existing laws, policies, and procedures that would allow the construction of
workforce housing:

���������
(A)
�
Near
agricultural zones; or

���������
(B)
�
With
agricultural facilities in mixed-use developmental zones;

����
(3)
�
Consider
any revisions necessary to existing zoning and land use policies that would
allow the construction of workforce housing:

���������
(A)
�
Near
agricultural zones; or

���������
(B)
�
With
agricultural facilities in mixed-use developmental zones;

����
(4)
�
Explore
partnerships with private and public entities to construct agricultural
workforce housing projects;

����
(5)
�
Identify
any financial incentives, including tax credit programs for agricultural
employers who invest in housing solutions for their workforce, that would
support the construction of agricultural workforce housing projects in the
State; and

����
(6)
�
Study
the feasibility of implementing a state income tax credit to investors who
incur costs to construct, install, acquire, or rehabilitate agricultural
workforce housing in the State.

����
(h)
�
The
working group shall submit an interim report of its progress, including any
proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the
convening of the regular session of 2028, and submit a final 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 2029
.

����
(i)
�

The working group shall be dissolved on June 30, 2029.

����
SECTION 2.
�

There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii
the sum of $250,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year
2026-2027 for the agricultural workforce housing working group established in
section 1 of this Act to gather the necessary data and prepare the required
reports, including any consultation fees and related expenses.

����
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; Agricultural
Workforce Housing Working Group; Report; Appropriation

Description:

Establishes
an Agricultural Workforce Housing Working Group within the Department of Agriculture
and Biosecurity to address the shortage and challenges of agricultural
workforce housing in the State.
�
Requires
reports to the Legislature.
�
Appropriates
funds.

The summary description
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not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.