SB 552 Hawaii Senate · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Summary

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)

Issues: ✓ Budget & Taxes

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Feb 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 17, 2025 Last action Mar 11, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB552_HD1 → SB552_SD1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was reformatted from a House Draft (HD1) to a Senate Draft (SD1) version, with the Senate version adding specific program requirements, funding language, and an effective date of July 1, 2050. The Senate version also reorganized the program goals to focus on soil health assessments, education, standards based on greenhouse gas sequestration findings, and financial incentives for farmers.

Scope change

The scope was expanded to include specific program goals and requirements, including the creation of a statewide soil health assessment, standards based on greenhouse gas sequestration task force findings, and a requirement for an annual report to the legislature.

REQUIREMENT

Added specific program goals including creating a statewide soil health assessment, providing education and technical assistance, establishing standards based on greenhouse gas sequestration findings, and issuing financial incentives.

Added a requirement for the department of agriculture to submit an annual report to the legislature detailing the status and progress of the healthy soils program.

FISCAL

Added appropriation language for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 to fund the healthy soils program and issue financial incentives.

TIMELINE

Added an effective date of July 1, 2050, which is significantly later than the original draft.

TECHNICAL

The bill was reformatted from a House Draft version to a Senate Draft version, with changes in formatting and markup conventions.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 11, 2025

Committee

Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1177) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.

lower

Mar 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on AGR recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Kahaloa, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Kusch, Ward.

lower

Feb 28, 2025

Committee

Referred to AGR, FIN, referral sheet 17

lower

Feb 19, 2025

Introduced

Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 6) in amended form (SD 1).

lower

Feb 19, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 1). Ayes, 22; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 3 (Senator(s) Gabbard, Kouchi, Richards). Transmitted to House.

upper

Feb 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Feb 10, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-12-25 10:01AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 4, 2025

Committee

Reported from AEN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 17) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Jan 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

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.

upper

Jan 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on AEN has scheduled a public hearing on 01-27-25 1:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to AEN, WAM.

upper

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Introduced.

upper

7 primary · 1 co-sponsor