SB 659 Hawaii Senate · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

Summary

Exempts from the electronic procurement system the Department of Education's purchase of fresh local agricultural products and local value-added processed, agricultural, or food products not exceeding a certain amount, subject to certain requirements. Requires the Department of Education to establish guidelines for determining a geographic preference for locally sourced products. Exempts the Department of Education from the requirement that certain agricultural products are subject to the Hawaii Public Procurement Code. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Bill status passed 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

House Passage

Mar 2025

Governor

Introduced Jan 17, 2025 Last action Mar 21, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB659_SD1 → SB659_SD2 · 6 edits

MODERATE

SB 659 was updated from Session 1 to Session 2, increasing the procurement threshold for local agricultural products from $100,000 to $250,000 and adding specific requirements for obtaining written quotes. The bill also exempts the Department of Education from certain state procurement code requirements for agricultural products and establishes county-level geographic preference guidelines for locally sourced products.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to cover higher-value procurements and added exemptions from the Hawaii Public Procurement Code for the Department of Education's agricultural product purchases.

FISCAL

Increased the procurement threshold for fresh local agricultural products and local value-added processed products from $100,000 to $250,000.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirements to obtain at least three written quotes for procurements between $25,000 and $250,000, with an option for two quotes for rural school supplies.

Added requirement that all awards exceeding $2,500 must be posted electronically on the Hawaii awards and notice data system (HANDS).

Established county-level geographic preference guidelines allowing contracts for locally sourced products if costs are no more than 10-15% higher than out-of-state options.

EXEMPTIONS

Added exemption for the Department of Education from the Hawaii Public Procurement Code for agricultural product procurements.

ENFORCEMENT

Added requirement for the state procurement officer to request data from the department to evaluate the efficacy of the new section.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 26, 2025 · House Mar 13, 2025

How they voted

13–0

Passed

Total votes 13

Feb 26, 2025

D Democratic12

12 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican1

1 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 21, 2025

Committee

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Garrett, Kapela, Kitagawa, Ward excused (5).

lower

Mar 21, 2025

Committee

Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1406), recommending referral to FIN.

lower

Mar 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on AGR recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Kahaloa, Kusch, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ward.

lower

Mar 13, 2025

Committee

Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1190) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to AGR.

lower

Mar 13, 2025

House · Passed

House Vote: pass (47-0-4)

house

Mar 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Woodson, La Chica, Amato, Evslin, Garrett, Kapela, Kila, Olds, Sayama, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Muraoka.

lower

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to EDN, AGR, FIN, referral sheet 19

lower

Mar 4, 2025

Introduced

Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 182) in amended form (SD 2).

lower

Mar 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) DeCoite, Inouye, Kim. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Feb 26, 2025

Upper · Passed

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, 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 26, 2025

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (13-0)

senate

Feb 20, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-26-25 10:03AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 13, 2025

Committee

Reported from EDU/AEN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 434) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Feb 10, 2025

Upper · Passed

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, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) DeCoite ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Rhoads.

upper

Feb 10, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDU were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kidani, Kanuha, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 2 No(es): Senator(s) Kim, Hashimoto; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Feb 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDU/AEN has scheduled a public hearing on 02-10-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 23, 2025

Committee

Referred to EDU/AEN, WAM.

upper

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Introduced.

upper

2 primary · 1 co-sponsor