SB 763 Hawaii Senate · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.

Summary

Establishes the Agricultural Enforcement Program within the Department of Law Enforcement. Establishes the Agricultural Enforcement Special Fund. Establishes positions. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD3)

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Governor

Introduced Jan 17, 2025 Last action Apr 15, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 5 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB763_SD1 → SB763_SD2 · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill establishes a new Agricultural Enforcement Program within the Department of Law Enforcement to address rising agricultural theft and vandalism. It creates a special fund to finance the program and appropriates money to establish specific positions, including an assistant chief, investigators, and patrol officers. The changes expand law enforcement capabilities to better protect Hawaii's agricultural sector from theft and related crimes.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of law enforcement activities to specifically target agricultural crimes, including theft of agricultural products and trespassing. It authorizes the use of volunteers with community ties (aloha or kuleana) to assist in deterrence and enforcement efforts.

ENFORCEMENT

Established a new Agricultural Enforcement Program within the Department of Law Enforcement with an assistant chief to oversee operations.

FISCAL

Created a new Agricultural Enforcement Special Fund to receive grants, donations, fees, and legislative appropriations for program expenses.

Appropriated funds to establish one assistant chief position, eight investigator positions, and 36 uniformed patrol officer positions across the state.

REQUIREMENT

Changed reporting authority from 'director' to 'deputy director' in the new statutory sections.

ELIGIBILITY

Authorized volunteers with community ties to the agricultural sector to assist in deterrence and enforcement without pay.

TIMELINE

Set the effective date of the Act to July 1, 2050.

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

Amendments

Apr 10, 2025

Amended

Senate disagrees with House amendments.

upper

Apr 10, 2025

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 656).

upper

Apr 8, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 3 with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Muraoka, Pierick voting no (3) and Representative(s) Cochran, Marten excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Mar 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 14 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Alcos, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Hussey, Ward.

lower

Mar 21, 2025

Committee

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 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 JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1449) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN.

lower

Mar 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Perruso, Takayama, Todd, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran.

lower

Mar 14, 2025

Committee

Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1218) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

lower

Mar 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on AGR recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. 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 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to AGR, JHA, FIN, referral sheet 19

lower

Mar 4, 2025

Introduced

Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 194) 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: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Feb 19, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Chang, San Buenaventura, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Gabbard.

upper

Feb 19, 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 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM/JDC will hold a public decision making on 02-19-25 10:16AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 13, 2025

Committee

Reported from AEN/PSM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 455) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM/JDC.

upper

Feb 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on PSM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in PSM were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Elefante, Rhoads, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Wakai, Fukunaga.

upper

Feb 7, 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

Feb 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on AEN/PSM has scheduled a public hearing on 02-07-25 1:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 23, 2025

Committee

Referred to AEN/PSM, WAM/JDC.

upper

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Introduced.

upper

9 primary · 0 co-sponsors