SB2704 • 2026

RELATING TO SUBSISTENCE GARDENING.

Agriculture Budget

Active

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

Sponsor: GABBARD, CHANG, RICHARDS
Last action: 2026-02-20
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 SUBSISTENCE GARDENING.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO SUBSISTENCE GARDENING.
DAB; Subsistence-Plus Gardening Pilot Program; Report; Appropriation ($) Establishes within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity a temporary Subsistence-Plus Gardening Pilot Program.
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.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: SB2704 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2704 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2704 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SUBSISTENCE GARDENING .

Bill History

2026-02-20 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2026-02-20 S
Reported from AEN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2487) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
2026-02-13 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, Rhoads, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) DeCoite.
2026-02-10 S
The committee(s) on AEN has scheduled a public hearing on 02-13-26 3:10PM; CR 224 & Videoconference.
2026-01-28 S
Referred to AEN, WAM.
2026-01-26 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-01-23 S
Introduced.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO SUBSISTENCE GARDENING.
DAB; Subsistence-Plus Gardening Pilot Program; Report; Appropriation ($)
Establishes within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity a temporary Subsistence-Plus Gardening Pilot Program. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2704

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2704

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to subsistence gardening
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
(a)
�
There is established within the department of
agriculture and biosecurity a three-year subsistence-plus gardening pilot
program.

����
(b)
�

The program shall:

����
(1)
�
Identify
underutilized small plots of land, not more than two acres, suitable for
gardening based on soil, terrain, and water availability;

����
(2)
�
Invite
small community-based farm clubs, which have demonstrated participation and
momentum in their respective communities, to participate in the program for the
purposes of planting, growing, and harvesting priority crops, including
Hawaiian canoe crops to improve food security and food sovereignty in the
State;

����
(3)
�
Make
the identified lands available to participating small community-based farm
clubs; and

����
(4)
�
Provide
support for community food production hubs.

����
SECTION 2.
�

The department of agriculture and biosecurity shall submit a report of
its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, concerning
the subsistence-plus gardening pilot program to the legislature no later than
twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of
2029.

����
SECTION 3.
�

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
subsistence-plus gardening pilot program.

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

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SECTION 4.
�

This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

DAB;
Subsistence-Plus Gardening Pilot Program; Reports; Appropriation

Description:

Establishes
within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity a temporary Subsistence-Plus
Gardening Pilot Program.
�
Requires a
report to the Legislature.
�
Appropriates
funds.

The summary description
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not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.